Home / In the Media / Director Resource Mobilization IBA and an NTHP Alumna featured – AAJ News
From Hurdles to High Achievement
IBA Karachi on AAJ News' Baran-e-Rehmat – a Ramadan conversation on breaking barriers, the power of mentorship, and how education redefines destinies | Monday, 2 March 2026
FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:
Ms. Malahat Awan | Director, Alumni Affairs, Resource Mobilization & Corporate Relations, IBA Karachi
Aleena Abbas | NTHP Alumna, IBA Karachi
About This Appearance
IBA Karachi’s Director of Alumni Affairs & Resource Mobilization, Ms. Malahat Awan, and NTHP alumna Aleena Abbas appeared on AAJ News’ Baran-e-Rehma, a prominent Ramadan morning transmission – for a conversation on merit, access, and the community that makes it possible. Ms. Awan reflected on IBA’s "need-blind" admission policy, where nearly 15,000 students apply for approximately 1,000 seats, emphasizing that the selection process is purely competitive and designed to identify capable minds regardless of their financial background. The goal is to ensure that financial circumstances never stand in the way of a student's education, a standard IBA has maintained to provide a level playing field for all. She also highlighted that almost 45% of IBA students receive financial aid, debunking the myth that the institution is only for the wealthy.
During the transmission, Ms. Awan explained that Pakistan faces many challenges, but education remains the singular solution, specifically "employable education" that empowers a child to either secure a job or start their own venture. She described the National Talent Hunt Program (NTHP) as IBA’s agenda for diversity and inclusion, reaching out to 125 districts across Pakistan to find the brightest students in underserved communities.
"The problem in Pakistan is not just one; there are many. But the solution is education—and specifically employable education that allows a child to either get a job or start their own work." – Ms. Malahat Awan, Director, Alumni Affairs & Advancement
The most moving part of the segment was the story of Aleena Abbas, an NTHP scholar from Hunza.
After her father retired on medical grounds, Aleena faced severe financial struggles and was once even suspended from school because her scholarship had lapsed. Through the NTHP, she found a path to IBA, where she excelled in Social Sciences and Liberal Arts.
Demonstrating the employability of an IBA degree, Aleena secured a job two months before her graduation. She now works for a US-based company.
"I once felt my education might end because of my circumstances. NTHP didn't just give me a degree; it gave me the confidence to know that if you are worthy, the opportunities will find you." – Aleena Abbas, NTHP Alumna
