About The Author

Nasim Ashraf is a prominent Pakistani American physician. He has been a social activist all his life and founded several grassroots organizations both in America and Pakistan, where he was born.

He served as President of APPNA, the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North American Descent, the largest professional and fraternal organization of Pakistani Expatriates and was also the Founding President of PAKPAC, the powerful and only Federally Registered Political Action Committee of Pakistani Americans in the United States. Ashraf also started APPNA SEHAT, an internationally acclaimed Primary Health Model which received several awards including the Hinda Rosenthal Award for the most Innovative Primary Health Care program in a Developing Country. In 1997, he co-founded the Human Development Foundation of North America (HDFNA). He was the first Chairman of the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) of Pakistan and Minister of State, Government of Pakistan from 2002-2008. He was the de facto Advisor to the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, from 2002-2008 and played an important role in US-Pakistan relations having close ties both in Washington and Islamabad.

In America, he successfully mobilized the Pakistani American expatriate community to become a recognized force in the American political system and to promote US-PAK relations. Ashraf founded the Americans for Peace and Justice in South Asia (APJSA), an advocacy group that informed and worked with Congress and the Think Tank Community in America on issues of importance to Pakistan.

Dr. Ashraf is a regular commentator on T.V. and radio channels such as CNN, BBC, NPR, Al Jazeera, and Pakistan TV. He contributes articles on issues pertaining to South Asia as well as the Islamic world. He has also published scientific studies in leading Medical Journals in America and frequently lectured at International Medical Conferences.

Nasim Ashraf served as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board from 2006-2008 and as President Asian Cricket Council in 2008.

Ashraf was also a Co-Producer of the movie “JINNAH”, a film on the life of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

Ashraf was awarded a Medal by UNESCO in 2006 for his contributions towards the Promotion of Literacy in Developing countries.

For his lifelong services to the people of Pakistan, the Government of Pakistan conferred upon him Sitara Imtiaz (Star of Distinction), a high civil award in 2008.