Faculty Directory

Dr. Habibullah Hassan Zai is a distinguished scholar with a Ph.D. in Arabic Linguistics from the Islamic University of Madinah. With extensive expertise in Arabic linguistics, he has enriched his knowledge through practical teaching experiences, including a two-year tenure at the Islamic University of Madinah. Dr. Habibullah’s academic journey is marked by excellence, having earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in linguistics and Arabic language with distinction from the Islamic University of Madinah.

Currently, Dr. Habibullah is an Assistant Professor at Al-Kawthar University, where he plays a pivotal role in developing the Arabic language curriculum. He is deeply involved in teaching, scientific research, and the application of modern teaching methodologies in Arabic language instruction.

Dr. Muhammad Ishtiaq is a leading academician and researcher with over two decades of experience in teaching, research, and institutional development across Islamic Studies, Islamic Banking and Finance, Arabic, and interdisciplinary socio-economic studies. His scholarly work is distinguished by its integration of classical Islamic thought with contemporary challenges in finance, governance, sustainability, and human development.

Currently serving as Chairperson of the Department of Islamic Studies at Al-Kawthar University, Dr. Ishtiaq is leading academic and curricular development initiatives aimed at strengthening research culture, modernizing teaching pedagogy, and fostering interdisciplinary engagement. His academic vision emphasizes relevance, intellectual rigor, and the practical application of Islamic knowledge to modern financial, social, and ethical systems.

Dr. Ishtiaq holds a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Karachi and an MS in Islamic Banking and Finance from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi. He has also earned professional certifications in Islamic Finance from leading institutions including INCEIF Malaysia. His academic training reflects a rare combination of traditional Islamic scholarship and contemporary finance and management education.

He has served in teaching and leadership roles at several HEC-recognized universities and degree-awarding institutions, including DHA Suffa University, Bahria University, IBA Karachi, Binoria University International, PAF-KIET, and Preston University. His roles have included Head of Department, Coordinator of Islamic Finance Programs, member of Boards of Faculty, and contributor to accreditation and quality assurance processes, including participation in the AACSB accreditation effort at IBA Karachi.

As a researcher, Dr. Ishtiaq has published extensively in international and HEC-recognized journals, with research spanning Islamic finance, Islamic economics, Da‘wah studies, Qur’anic analysis, Seerah studies, and Shariah-compliant financial models. He is the author of multiple books and e-books and has several research projects under development, including innovative models linking Islamic finance with sustainable development goals, circular economy, and social finance.

Beyond academia, Dr. Ishtiaq is an active public intellectual and speaker, having delivered lectures, seminars, and workshops at universities, professional forums, and academic conferences on topics ranging from Islamic financial contracts and leadership to Qur’anic epistemology and the role of Islam in contemporary society. Through his teaching, research, and public engagement, he remains committed to developing ethically grounded, intellectually capable, and socially responsible scholars and professionals.

Dr. Khawaja Masood Raza holds a PhD in Islamic Banking and Finance and brings over 35 years of senior-level industry experience in Pakistan and abroad. His professional career includes service with Pakistan’s largest Development Financial Institution, where he gained extensive exposure to development finance, financial structuring, corporate governance, and regulatory frameworks. In addition, he has worked with manufacturing, services, and consulting organizations, giving him a broad, cross-sectoral industry perspective.

Alongside his industry career, Dr. Raza has more than 22 years of teaching experience in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). He has taught Accounting, Finance, Taxation, Islamic Banking and Finance, and Accounting for Islamic Finance at leading business schools as a visiting faculty member for undergraduate and graduate programs. He has also delivered Islamic Banking and Finance courses to practicing bankers at Professional Development Centers. He has served for five years as a permanent faculty member at a business school and is currently serving as Head of the Department of Management Sciences at Al-Kawthar University.

To complement his academic and professional background, Dr. Raza holds the internationally recognized CSAA (Certified Shariah Auditor & Advisor) certification awarded by AAOIFI (Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions), Bahrain, the world’s leading and sole standard-setting and certification body for Islamic banking and finance. This qualification further strengthens his expertise in Shariah governance, Islamic financial reporting, Shariah audit, and compliance frameworks.

Dr. Naseem Ahmed is a senior educationist and academic administrator with extensive experience in higher education, educational leadership, and social sciences. He is currently serving as Program Manager of the Social Sciences Program at Al-Kawthar University, where he oversees academic planning, faculty coordination, curriculum development, and student academic support.

Dr. Naseem Ahmed holds a PhD and M.Phil in Education from Hamdard University, along with advanced degrees in Islamic Studies and Education from the University of Karachi. His academic background also includes a B.Sc. in Chemistry. Previously, he has worked as Head of the Department of Education at Preston University, Director of the Institute for Educational and Health Grooming, Lecturer at NUML Karachi, and Deputy Director of Social Research at OASIS Insight. He has also served as an Educational Advisor for the Tameer-e-Seerat Program, supporting over 12,000 students, and as a consultant for leading healthcare institutions. His areas of expertise include social sciences program management, educational leadership, curriculum planning, quality assurance, student counseling, teacher training, and social and behavioral studies.

Dr. Naseem Ahmed has conducted workshops and training sessions at leading universities, hospitals, and organizations, including Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, Karachi University, Jinnah University for Women, NUML, Fauji Fertilizer, PPL, HinoPak Motors, and major healthcare institutions in Karachi.

Dr. Asbah Zia is an Assistant Professor and Program Manager for the BS Psychology program in the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at Al-Kawthar University. With over 15 years of experience in teaching, training, and consulting, she brings a strong combination of academic and professional expertise. Her strengths include teaching, training, administrative abilities, psychological testing, and counseling, enabling her to effectively guide students and contribute to the development of the department.

Dr. Asbah Zia completed her doctorate in Psychology from the University of Karachi. In addition to being an active researcher, she has extensive experience in academics, training, and consulting. She also provides counseling for psychological and behavioral issues and is committed to raising awareness about mental health.

Dr. Zia has a strong interest in research and actively participates in research-related activities aimed at addressing well-known societal issues. Her research interests include family relationships, societal challenges, and psychological distress related to personal and professional life. She is skilled in psychological assessment using interviews, questionnaires, and standardized tests, including Rorschach, HFD, PAI, TAT, WAIS, BFI, MBTI, and others.

She has contributed to several UNDP projects, delivering training sessions to youth on life skills and soft skills. Throughout her career, she has been involved in teaching, training, consulting, and mentoring, with the goal of fostering healthy and productive personalities while minimizing psychological challenges.

Rizwan Ali is a dedicated nursing academic, clinician, and institutional leader with extensive experience in nursing education, clinical practice, and academic research.

He currently serves as Principal and Assistant Professor at Al-Kawthar University College of Nursing, where he provides strategic academic leadership, oversees program development, and promotes evidence-based nursing education.

He previously served as Principal at Sindh Modern College of Nursing and Health Sciences and as Senior Nursing Faculty and Program Coordinator at Horizon School of Nursing and Health Sciences, contributing to curriculum delivery, research supervision, and organization of academic seminars and professional training activities.

Mr. Ali holds a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Ziauddin University, Karachi. His clinical background includes professional experience at Aga Khan University Hospital, where he worked in critical care, operating room, and peri-operative patient management, strengthening his expertise in acute and surgical nursing care.

An active researcher, Rizwan Ali has contributed to multiple peer-reviewed studies in areas such as nursing knowledge, maternal and child health, infection control, community health awareness, and clinical education. His scholarly work reflects a strong commitment to improving healthcare quality and nursing practice through research-informed teaching.

He has also organized and participated in numerous professional trainings, including Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) at Aga Khan University Hospital, along with seminars, workshops, and community awareness initiatives that support professional development and public health education.

With strong competencies in academic leadership, curriculum implementation, research supervision, and data analysis tools such as SPSS and EndNote, he is committed to nurturing future nursing professionals and advancing quality healthcare education in Pakistan and beyond.

Mudasir Ali is a medical technologist, researcher, and academic with specialized expertise in pathology, laboratory sciences, and quality management systems. He currently serves as Ass. Professor at Al-Kawthar University College of Nursing. He previously served as faculty at Rangers College of Nursing and Paramedics and previously worked as Assistant Professor and Lecturer of Medical Technology at Malir University of Science and Technology. He holds an M.Phil in Pathology and a BS in Medical Technology from Dow University of Health Sciences, along with advanced training in blood banking, biosafety, and ISO-15189 laboratory accreditation. His professional experience includes laboratory management, diagnostic services, research publications, and student mentoring in clinical laboratory sciences. His academic interests focus on laboratory quality assurance, infectious disease diagnostics, hematology, and research-driven medical education.

Dr. Aisha Arshad is a hematology researcher and laboratory medicine scientist specializing in Malignant Hematology, Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), Transfusion Medicine, and Hemoglobinopathies. Her research focuses on disease pathogenesis, biomarker discovery, oxidative stress, infection control, and immune mechanisms using advanced techniques such as flow cytometry, HPLC, and molecular analysis.

She is the first Pakistani oral presenter at the 63rd Annual International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis (2019, Melbourne, Australia), presenting her PhD work on the clinical association of increased antioxidant levels in ITP. Dr. Arshad has multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals, serves as a peer reviewer for national and international journals, and is Co-Principal Investigator for FCPS residents. She currently practices as a hematologist while leading the Allied Health and Medical Sciences department at Al-Kawthar University.

Dr. Sara Qadeer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences at Al-Kawthar University. A Gold Medalist in Biochemistry, she specializes in neurochemistry and biochemical neuropharmacology. Her academic work emphasizes high-quality teaching, interdisciplinary learning, and the integration of biochemical principles into allied health education. Through dedicated mentorship and engagement with clinically relevant scientific domains, she contributes to the university’s commitment to academic excellence and the preparation of competent healthcare professionals capable of addressing contemporary health challenges and advancing societal well-being.

Dr. Syed Shariqullah is a dedicated radiologist who is passionate in his work and has practiced in multiple tertiary care hospitals for the past 15 years. He has an academic and research experience of more than 10 years. He has published more than 20 articles in various journals nationally and internationally but his main focus is always Pakistan Journal of Radiology (PJR). Dr. Syed Shariqullah is also a peer reviewer for scientific journals and is always willing for collaboration on projects to advance medical imaging techniques.

He continuously keeps himself updated via various channels to ensure best services to his patients and students. On top of that, he is also serving as a mentor in Pakistan to improve diagnostic and exam based challenges among the doctors and residents via his online courses for MCPS, MD, EDir and FCPS candidates. He is also an active member of The Radiological Society of Pakistan (RSP) and keeps himself updated with the recent guidelines and radiological techniques.

Dr. Syed Shariqullah is currently working as a Consultant Radiologist and Head of the Department at The Modern Hospital and an Assistant Professor for BS-MIT program in Allied Health and Medical Sciences as a strong healthcare professional.

Mr. Faraz Mukhtiar is a Lecturer within the Faculty of Computing at Al-Kawthar University, Karachi. His work sits at the vital intersection of applied mathematics, statistical quality control, and machine learning, with a primary focus on developing intelligent process monitoring and data-driven decision systems. By bridging the gap between classical statistical methods and modern AI, he aims to address the evolving challenges of industrial quality control and Industry 4.0 ecosystems.

Mr. Mukhtiar earned his Master of Science in Engineering Sciences (Applied Mathematics) from the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI) in 2025. His graduate research pioneered machine learning-based statistical process control (SPC) frameworks designed for efficient anomaly detection. This followed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology (QUEST), where he specialized in the estimation of unsteady fluid flows using finite difference methods.

An active researcher, Mr. Faraz has contributed to high-impact, Q1-ranked international journals, including Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Computers & Industrial Engineering. His published work focuses on enhancing control charts and multivariate process monitoring through innovative machine learning integrations. Beyond the classroom, his expertise encompasses anomaly detection, industrial analytics, and process optimization, reflecting a career dedicated to advancing the precision and reliability of modern computational systems

Mr. Abdul Basit is a Mathematics Lecturer with a strong academic background and experience in teaching undergraduate-level mathematics at higher education institutions. He holds a BS in Mathematical Sciences from the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology. As part of his undergraduate studies, he completed a Final Year Research Project focusing on advanced mathematical modeling and partial differential equations. His research involved series solutions of the Fokker–Planck Partial Differential Equation using the Perturbation Iteration Method and the Perturbation Laplace Transform Method, strengthening his analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills. Mr. Abdul Basit has taught a wide range of mathematics and statistics courses, including Calculus, Advanced Calculus, Linear Algebra, Analytical Geometry, Numerical Analysis, Business Statistics, and Statistics. He has also taught Financial Mathematics at KNS Business School of Accountancy. His teaching approach emphasizes conceptual clarity, logical reasoning, and applied problem-solving to support students’ academic development. He has served as a Lecturer and Visiting Lecturer at reputable institutions, including Iqra University, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Usman Institute of Technology, and KNS Business School of Accountancy. He has also served as a Guest Speaker at FUUAST, where he delivered a session on the diversification of mathematics in applications, highlighting emerging areas such as applied mathematics and machine learning. Mr. Abdul Basit actively engages in academic development activities and has participated in academic workshops and conferences related to mathematics, statistics, research, and educational innovation. He is proficient in modern academic and research tools, including MATLAB and digital learning platforms, and remains committed to continuous professional growth and excellence in mathematics education.