KARACHI: Geo Network’s Vice President and noted research scholar Dr Amir Liaquat Hussain is that outstanding son of Pakistan who has attained a special stature in the world on socio-religious grounds and his name is resounds from time to time in the world media.
A top international research institution, the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, has recently included him in a list of 500 most influential Muslim personalities, which is a great honour.The said research organisation is a non-partisan entity affiliated with the international Islamic organisation, Royal All Albait Institute for Islamic Thought.
The institution based in the Jordanian Capital Amman is supposed to discharge different academic activities under the supervision of the Royal Hashemite family.The list of influential Muslims published by the institution includes those from Pakistan and the world, including the head of the Geo Network Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.
The name of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, the owner of the largest news network of Pakistan, is prominently displayed in the list. Elaborating his personality in the book the author writes that the most popular news channel of South Asia, Geo and the Jang Group works under him and he is also Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive of the Jang Group.
The publishers of the book, which introduces most influential Muslim personalities, pays tributes to Dr Amir Liaquat Hussain saying he had been placed on the list owing to his unprejudiced thinking, promotion of tolerance and peace in society, crusade against social evils and above all his love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Terming him the most popular and influential anchor of the Islamic world, rather of the world, the book says climbing the ladders of popularity through the famous programme “Alim Online” Dr Amir had attained unprecedented grandeur amongst a large section of society through his unprejudiced thinking, forceful thought against corruption and immense love of the Prophet (PBUH).
In the beginning, he was an important personality of the country, a member of the National Assembly and minister of state for religious affairs. However, in 2007 he resigned from his post and opted to serve religion.
Other prominent persons included in the list are Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, Imran Khan, Mufti Taqi Usmani, the Amir of the Tableeghi Jamaat Haji Muhammad Abdul Wahab, Maulana Tariq Jamil, Allama Tahir-ul-Qadri, Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar, Maulana Saleemullah Khan, Dr Ahmad Rafiq Akhtar, Abdus Sattar Edhi, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Munawwar Hasan, Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Qadri, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Dr Adeeb Rizvi, Dr Farhat Hashmi and Malala Yousufzai.
Those included from India in the list are Maulana Mahmood Madani, Dr Zakir Naek, Dr Abdul Kalam, Mufti Muhammad Akhtar Raza Qadri Al Azhari, Syed Ibrahim Khalil Al Bokhari, Allama Zia-ul-Mustafa, Amir Khan and AR Rehman.
Those included in the list on world level included Khadim-e-Hermain Shareefain King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Shaikh Abdul Rahman As Sudees, Shaikh Ash Shareem, Shaikh Muhammad Zaid Al Nahyan, Shaikh Muhammad Bin Yahya Al Hussaini, Abdullah Gul, Tayyip Erdogan, Ayatullah Syed Ali Khamenei, the Great Mufti Shaikh Ahmad Muhammad Al Tayyab, Syed Ali Hasan Seestani, Syed Hasan Nasrullah, Mahmood Abbas, Allama Yousuf Al Qarzavi, Sirajuddin Haqqani, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Mulla Muhammad Omar, Hamid Karzai, Shaikh Haseena Wajid, Dr Muhammad Younus, Muhammad Morsi and Dr Ayman Al-Zawahiri.
