Two Pakistanis to get Queen of England’s ‘Young Leaders Award’

LONDON: Two exceptional young Pakistanis will be awarded by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II during a glittering ceremony at Buckingham Palace next week, coinciding with the Queen’s 90th birthday.

28-year-old Muhammad Usman Khan and 26-year-old Zainab Bibi have been recognised by the Queen for taking the lead in transforming the lives of others and making a lasting difference in their communities.

As a Queen’s Young Leader, they will be representing Pakistan as they join winners from 45 different Commonwealth countries in London for five days of high-level engagements – designed to help them further their life-changing work.

Muhammad Usman Khan has been recognised for his dedication to helping all children receive an education, while Zainab Bibi has been acknowledged for her work and success in renewable energy. They were selected from a competitive process where thousands of young people from all over the Commonwealth applied to be a Queen’s Young Leader.

Muhammad said: “I am super excited for the Residential Week for the Queen's Young Leaders Programme. It's a prestigious opportunity to learn, share and acknowledge being a Queen's Young Leader.”

“As the time is getting close, my excitement to meet The Queen is sky rocketing. I have no words to explain my feeling, I am anxiously waiting for the best week in my life.”

Speaking to Geo News, Zainab Bibi explained that she has been selected for the Queen’s Leader award for her work in green energy in Pakistan.

“In my two recent Projects, I have produced Bio-Ethanol a Bio fuel from waste tissue papers. In another Project I have introduced a plant species Camelina Sativa from USA in Pakistan and produced Bio Diesel from that plant,” she explained.

“Camelina Sativa is a plant which has very short growth cycle, greater resistance to drought and need very small amount of water therefore it can be grown in to desert areas of Pakistan.

“After growing in control environment now we are working to actually grow this plant in Thar Desert and on success, it will help to eradicate extreme poverty from that drought affected region. All these projects, I have done under Pakistan Society of Green Energy where I am working as Chairperson.”

Source: geo news