I might have restricted the list to 14 people in respect of August 14, and that’s why a handful of famous personalities weren’t able to make it to the top. However, I would like to take this section to give a special mention to these individuals without whom the list wouldn’t have been complete.

There was adman-turned-filmmaker-turned-politician-turned-author Javed Jabbar, who has been a force to reckon with since the 1970s. Be it directing the first English language film in Pakistan Beyond the Last Mountain to producing countless TV commercials, his contribution has been immense to Pakistan.

Cricketer Javed Miandad’s contribution couldn’t also be forgotten, since he was the one who hit the immortal last ball six at Sharjah in 1986 to make Pakistan a champion side for the first time. He was there when Pakistan won the Cricket World Cup in 1992 and later coached Pakistan to numerous victories, notably against India, in India in 1999.

During the 1970s and the 1980s, Alamgir was amongst the most popular pop singers in the country and kept himself relevant even in the 1990s with his hits like Albela Rahi, Shaam se Pehle Aana, and Khayal Rakhna to name a few. Had it not been for him, pop music wouldn’t have been as popular as it is today. The same goes for Moin Akhtar and Bushra Ansari who kept their countrymen entertained with their wits, their parodies, and their unique brand of humour which still seems fresh and current.

Finally, there is Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy who just last year directed a couple of episodes of the TV show Ms Marvel featuring Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first-ever Muslim superhero. Besides that, she is also the only Pakistani documentary filmmaker to win two Academy Awards and even directed the famed animated film trilogy Teen Bahadur. Currently she is working on a Star Wars film, which will make her the first Pakistani filmmaker to call the shots in a galaxy far, far away, and we all are proud of her for reaching this far.

Published in Dawn, Young World, Aug 12th, 2023