TEAM

MUBASHAR BUKHARI

President

He is a senior journalist working in the field for the last two decades. Bukhari is a specialist in reporting and researching militancy and militant groups in Pakistan including Al- Qaeda and Taliban. He has also co- authored the book, “Arabs in Afghan Jihad”. His work on militancy has been printed in various national and international publications. He has also been involved in training the journalists for accountability and ethic based reporting. He was the founding member and joint director of Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), a think tank that provides an in-depth analysis of regional and global issues relating to peace building. He taught journalism at School of Media and Communication, Beacon House National University, Lahore for five years. Bukhari has worked with various national and international print and electronic media organizations including Reuters, UPI, Weekly Asia360 (Singapore), The Mirror (UK), SBS (Australia). He has also worked with Geo News, The Friday Times, Daily Times, The Frontier Post, The Sun and The Nation in Pakistan.

MARIYAM ALI

Researcher | Program Manager

Mariyam is a journalist, trainer and journalism teacher. She has worked with country’s top news channels including Geo News and Express News as a reporter and Producer. She is also an ICFJ fellow of U.S- Pakistan Professional Partnership Exchange in Journalism (2012) where she worked with the FOX CT in Hartford. During her stay in the US she also got training in Conflict Sensitive Reporting, National Security Reporting and Social and Digital media. Mariyam has a Masters degree in Mass Communication and an M.Phil degree in Political Science. Currently she is involved in training journalists and teaching journalism students.

Wajid Ali Syed

Research Head

Wajid Ali Syed is a foreign correspondent based in Washington D.C., where he has been working as a senior producer and Bureau chief for Pakistan’s largest news channel Geo News for the past six years. He also regularly contributes to Geo’s sister publications; English-language daily the News and Urdu daily Jang. He also writes analytical pieces for a well-known weekly magazine the Friday Times.
Prior to this, he worked as an International Broadcaster for Voice of America. He has briefly worked in the UK as a fellow with the BBC. He has also worked on documentaries, one of which won CNN’s young journalist award.
Syed’s journalism career spans 18 years. He is proficient in four languages; English, Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi.

ALIZAR

Researcher

Alizar is a fresh graduate in the field of Economics and is another young member of Media Foundation360. He has good command over research tools. He works as a researcher for various projects of the organization.

AZHAR ALI

Program Manager (Islamabad)

Azhar Ali has a vast experience of working with local and international NGOs and news agencies in Pakistan including Near Media, Intermediate and United Press International (UPI). Azhar is responsible for managerial operations in Islamabad including coordination, event management and logistic support

Sher Shah jalal Haider

Admin Officer

Sher shah is one of the youngest members of Media Foundation360 and  is responsible for administration operations including coordination, event management and logistic support

AHMAD HUMA ALI

Senior Researcher

Ahmad is a seasonal journalist contributing in the field of journalism for the past two decades. He has worked with Pakistan Press International, The Spokesman, Mashriq and Roshni TV as a reporter and served as Bureau Chief Lahore at Rohi TV.

MASIM TEMAR

Operation Head

Mr Temar has been associated with the banking sector and has around 25 years of experience in financial and marketing sector. Mr Temar is now associated with the Media Foundation and is looks after accounts and logistics of the organization.

AHMAD FRAZ

Creative Head

Ahmad Fraz has a Master Degree in Film and TV Production and has been in the field of Media Production & journalism for the past sixteen years. He has worked with country’s major TV channels including HUM TV Network, Business Plus and Express News as a Producer and a Non Linear Editor. Fraz has excellent technical skills and has a good knowledge of computer software & Hardware. He looks after the website of MEDIA FOUNDATION 360 and its sister groups as well as editing of Documentaries, Graphics Design & Motion Graphics are also part of his duty.

Engr. Abdul Salam

Digital Security Expert

Abdul Salam is digital safety trainer for News Lens Pakistan. Salam is a Digital Security Expert, activist, blogger, and digital security trainer and consultant who work with local and international NGOs. He is Managing Director of ‘Apni Awaz’ the online media portal & ‘CybSec Consultant’ the cyber security firm, and Senior Technical Advisor at ‘New Era of Software Technologies’ the software development company and Freelance Data Journalist

Shehryar Warraich

Research Head and Trainer

He is a senior journalist, trainer and a teacher working in the field since 2004. Warraich is a Chevening Scholar, a Fellow of Pakistan, US Journalist Exchange Programme, and Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) Fellow. He did his MA in “Security, Terrorism and Insurgency” from University of Leeds, UK. He is also a member of visiting faculty of “Superior University” and “University of the Punjab”. Shehryar also works with different think tanks to train university students as peace ambassadors and deliver lectures on “Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE)” in different universities across the country. He has helped Non-governmental Organisations like CHANGE and Zenith-Media to develop their manual on CVE. Warraich has worked with national and international print and electronic media groups including United Press International (UPI), Oregon Public Broadcast (OPB), and the leading national channels like Geo News, PTV, ATV and Bol TV. Currently, Shehryar also contributes to Geo’s sister organization “The News” as a reporter on various subjects for instance security, militancy and militant groups, business, environment, politics, and human rights.

Shahzada Irfan Ahmed 

Content Head/Trainer

He is a journalist based in Lahore, Pakistan and works as Senior Correspondent with The News on Sunday, the weekly section of Pakistan’s leading English daily The News (www.thenews.com.pk). He writers on myriad issues ranging from environment, security, social sector development, economy, human rights, media development and climate change to poverty, interfaith harmony and governance. His association with The News on Sunday spans over one and a half decades. Before joining the organisation in 2003, he had worked as commerce desk in-charge at Daily Sun, Lahore, in-charge commerce desk and senior staff reporter at Daily Times. 

He also works as a stinger with Wall Street Journal and correspondent with IPS feature service. He has also worked on assignment-to-assignment basis with Channel 4 of UK, National Geographic and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), USA. He won Daniel Pearl Fellowship in 2009 and got an opportunity to work as Staff Reporter with daily Houston Chronicle, in Houston, Texas, USA for five months. He is also a fellow of “Innovation in Journalism” programme launched at Stanford University, Stanford, California.

In 2008, he was short-listed as finalist by Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) for Development Asia Journalism Awards (DAJA) to be held in Tokyo, Japan. He was declared the “Labour Reporter of the Year” by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and travelled to Turin, Italy, to attend a course for journalist on labour issues, in November 201  Irfan is a qualified media trainer who has taught at the University of Punjab and Safma Journalism School and completed journalism courses from the University of Missouri, Columbia (Missouri) and Poynter Institute, Tampa, Florida.

He has reported extensively from abroad as well and traveled to USA, China, Finland, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Bangkok, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Russia, Japan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia etc. He also has elaborate experience of working in the development sector. He has provided consultancy services to several organisations and written their project reports, worked on case studies, done impact assessments and evaluations and so on. He has worked with GIZ, USAID, SPO Pakistan, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), HomeNet Pakistan, Pakistan Institute for Labour Education and Research (PILER), Labour Education Foundation (LEF), Network for Consumer Protection, Pakistan, ILO, Civic Action Resources (CAR) Pakistan, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and others.”