Zaheer Ahmad
Encyclopedia
Zaheer Ahmad was a Pakistani American
medical doctor who was credited as being the founder and chief executive of the Shifa International Hospital
in Islamabad. In 2011, he came under media attention when the United States
accused him of being an associate of Dr. Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai
, an Indian American lobbyist from Kashmir and founder of the Kashmir American Council (KAC) who was charged for covertly attempting to lobby and influence the American government on the Kashmir conflict
on behalf of the Government of Pakistan
's interests (see Pakistani lobby in the United States). According to U.S. government officials, Fai and Ahmad lobbied for the Kashmir cause secretly rather than making a formal declaration, as is required legally per the Foreign Agents Registration Act
. It was claimed that the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI) used Ahmad, who had contacts with the agency, as a channel through which they used to transfer large funds of money to Fai.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) after detaining and interrogating Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai charged Ahmad for having involvement with Fai in the scandal. However, Ahmad was living in Pakistan
at the time and was not apprehended by U.S. authorities. The FBI maintained that the two had been participating in a long-term conspiracy to act as agents of the Pakistani government in the United States without disclosing their affiliation, which is illegal. Thus, both potentially faced a sentence of five years in prison if convicted. Referring to Ahmad's shady contacts, one article published in the Indian newspaper Hindustan Times
even alleged that Ahmad was present during the much-publicised nuclear scientist Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood
's alleged meeting with Osama bin Laden
in Afghanistan
one month prior to the September 11 attacks; it said that Ayman al-Zawahiri
was also present at the meeting and that the discussion revolved around "building a nuclear bomb." However, this allegation has never been proven or validated.
Born in 1948, Ahmed obtained a master's degree in pharmacy
from the University of Punjab in Lahore and later became a doctor of medicine
after pursuing studies in internal medicine
from abroad. Apart from the Shifa Foundation, Ahmad also founded the Tameer-e-Millat Foundation, a non-government organisation (NGO) aimed at uplifting education. He belonged to a wealthy, upper elite class background and was a respected public figure due to his entrepreneurial activities. On 7 October 2011, local media reported that Ahmad had died in in Islamabad at the age of 63 due to brain haemorrhage. He left behind a widow and four children. His funeral was attended by many prominent politicians and bureaucrats and the salat al-Janazah (funeral prayer) was led by Qazi Hussain Ahmed. The News International
remarked that the country had been deprived of a patriot "who inspired a revolutionary change in the private health care sector of Pakistan through his stellar accomplishments."
Pakistani American
A Pakistani American is any citizen or resident of the United States who has Pakistani heritage.- History in the United States :Muslim immigrants from areas that are now part of Pakistan have been migrating to America and first entered the United States as early as the eighteenth century, working...
medical doctor who was credited as being the founder and chief executive of the Shifa International Hospital
Shifa International Hospital
Shifa International Hospital is located in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Shifa International Hospital was conceived and incorporated in 1985-1987 by a small group of Pakistani doctors and other health care professionals working in the United States. Since then Shifa has grown from over 450 contributing...
in Islamabad. In 2011, he came under media attention when the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
accused him of being an associate of Dr. Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai is an American citizen of Kashmiri origin, from Indian-administered Kashmir, who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 19, 2011 for allegedly working secretly for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence to lobby and influence the U.S. government on the...
, an Indian American lobbyist from Kashmir and founder of the Kashmir American Council (KAC) who was charged for covertly attempting to lobby and influence the American government on the Kashmir conflict
Kashmir conflict
The Kashmir conflict is a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region, the northwesternmost region of South Asia....
on behalf of the Government of Pakistan
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
's interests (see Pakistani lobby in the United States). According to U.S. government officials, Fai and Ahmad lobbied for the Kashmir cause secretly rather than making a formal declaration, as is required legally per the Foreign Agents Registration Act
Foreign Agents Registration Act
The Foreign Agents Registration Act is a United States law passed in 1938 requiring that agents representing the interests of foreign powers be properly identified to the American public. The act was passed in response to German propaganda in the lead-up to World War II...
. It was claimed that the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
(ISI) used Ahmad, who had contacts with the agency, as a channel through which they used to transfer large funds of money to Fai.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) after detaining and interrogating Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai charged Ahmad for having involvement with Fai in the scandal. However, Ahmad was living in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
at the time and was not apprehended by U.S. authorities. The FBI maintained that the two had been participating in a long-term conspiracy to act as agents of the Pakistani government in the United States without disclosing their affiliation, which is illegal. Thus, both potentially faced a sentence of five years in prison if convicted. Referring to Ahmad's shady contacts, one article published in the Indian newspaper Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
even alleged that Ahmad was present during the much-publicised nuclear scientist Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood
Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood
Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, otherwise written as, Sultan Bashir-ud-Din Mehmood), and Manchester, United Kingdom. A controversial figure, Bashiruddin Mahmood is widely popular in Pakistan's scientific and religious circles for his scientific interpretation and its relation to Quran...
's alleged meeting with Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
one month prior to the September 11 attacks; it said that Ayman al-Zawahiri
Ayman al-Zawahiri
Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri is an Egyptian physician, Islamic theologian and current leader of al-Qaeda. He was previously the second and last "emir" of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, having succeeded Abbud al-Zumar in the latter role when Egyptian authorities sentenced al-Zumar to life...
was also present at the meeting and that the discussion revolved around "building a nuclear bomb." However, this allegation has never been proven or validated.
Born in 1948, Ahmed obtained a master's degree in pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
from the University of Punjab in Lahore and later became a doctor of medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
after pursuing studies in internal medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
from abroad. Apart from the Shifa Foundation, Ahmad also founded the Tameer-e-Millat Foundation, a non-government organisation (NGO) aimed at uplifting education. He belonged to a wealthy, upper elite class background and was a respected public figure due to his entrepreneurial activities. On 7 October 2011, local media reported that Ahmad had died in in Islamabad at the age of 63 due to brain haemorrhage. He left behind a widow and four children. His funeral was attended by many prominent politicians and bureaucrats and the salat al-Janazah (funeral prayer) was led by Qazi Hussain Ahmed. The News International
The News International
The News International , published in tabloid size, is the largest English language newspaper in Pakistan. The News has an ABC certified circulation of 140,000. It is published from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad...
remarked that the country had been deprived of a patriot "who inspired a revolutionary change in the private health care sector of Pakistan through his stellar accomplishments."