Imran Anwar

Infobox Celebrity


image_size = 150px
name = Imran Anwar
caption =
birth_date = birth date and age|1962|5|23
birth_place = Montgomery (Sahiwal), Punjab, PK
nationality = American
education = BS Electrical; MBA Columbia
occupation = Technology, Consulting, Journalism
website = http://imran.tv
http://www.imran.com/media/blog/
residence = Heron Pointe, New York; Miami, Florida; Lahore, Pakistan [cite web|url=http://www.imran.com/IMRAN/ContactInfo.html|title=IMRAN Contacts Info|accessdate=2007-11-25]
other_names =
known_for = Internet, entrepreneur, journalist, Television, Radio, Magazines, Newspapers
title =
salary =
networth =
height =
party = Independent [cite web|url=http://www.imran.com/media/blog/2005/12/you-go-gays-i-mean-guys.html|title=Imran Anwar's In My Humble Opinion|accessdate=2007-11-25]
boards = Brookhaven Memorial Hospital NY; NARGIS Memorial Pakistan
religion = Islam
footnotes =

Imran Anwar (born May 23, 1962 in Montgomery (now Sahiwal), Pakistan) is a Pakistani technology and business entrepreneur, journalist, TV personality and speaker. [Citation| title = EverTrac CEO Imran Anwar to Keynote at 'The Second Automotive and Consumer Electronics Industries Deal-Making Summit'| url = http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-03-2000/0001328889&EDATE=|accessdate=2007-10-15]

Early life and education

Imran grew up in Karachi and attended Christ The King School and St. Paul's English High School, where he completed Cambridge University School Certificate (O' Levels) studies in 1976. [cite web|url=http://www.imran.com/ImranAnwar/SaintPauls.html|title=St. Paul's English High School, Karachi|accessdate=2007-10-17] He completed the Cambridge University Higher School Certificate (HSC/"A' Levels") studies in 1978 at Aitchison College, Lahore, where he was a College Prefect and awarded the 'Best Leaving Boy' Cup 1978.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan and has an MBA from Columbia University (Columbia Business School [cite web|url=http://c250.columbia.edu/c250_celebrates/your_columbians/imran_anwar.html|title=Columbia 250: Imran Anwar|accessdate=2007-10-15] and Columbia Journalism School).

Early political experience

Imran was exposed to national political figures at an early age. He had the opportunity to meet international figures like late former Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi, late Pakistani dictator General Zia-ul-Haq, late former Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo, late former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former Japanese Prime Minister Kaifu, former German Chancellor Willy Brandt, Pakistani dictator General Parvez Musharraf and many others. [Citation| title = 'Benazir Bhutto Befallen By...'| url = http://www.imran.com/media/blog/2007/12/benazir-bhutto-befallen-by-beastly.html |accessdate=2007-12-31]

At the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) he became involved in student politics. Eventually becoming Chief Organizer of the largest independent students' organization, the Quaid-e-Azam Students Federation (QSF), Imran was among the student leaders resisting and opposed to the martial law rule of General Zia. He and the indepdendent students also opposed the rising militant political power of fundamentalist violent political parties like Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba in Pakistan soon after the Soviet war in Afghanistan started in 1979.

In 1982, during a wave of student protests taking place at UET, Imran was attacked and arrested by six members of a para-military group of the martial law government. He and several other students were severely beaten by the Police, before being taken to a Military Tribunal. Titled 'Summary Military Court 37', and comprising of General Zia's military officers with no constitutional judicial standing or background, they charged the student protesters with the crime of opposing military rule, promoting unrest and protest in the civilian population and more. Imran, along with other several others, was sentenced and imprisoned in the infamous Kot Lakhpat Prison, outside Lahore, until their release in the coming days.

Imran continues to oppose military dictatorships and speaks out against elected heads of state usurping power. On radio and television he is an outspoken critic of General Pervez Musharraf as well as attempts by Bush administration officials to curtail personal freedoms and civil rights in the United States. In a 1999 profile interview on CNN with Riz Khan, [Citation| title = 'Q&A with Riz Khan: Imran Anwar'| url = http://www.imran.com/media/tv/clips/CNN_Profile_W.mov |accessdate=2007-11-10] Anwar had questioned General Musharaff's claim that he would hold elections in 90 days, and alluded to his using the same tacks as General Zia.

In his various recent radio interviews on New York's WWRL 1600AM and recent writings Anwar has urged the Pakistani public to rise against the new martial law and asked the United States government to block financial support of the military dictatorship in Pakistan. [Citation| title = 'The Morning Show'| url = http://www.imran.com/media/radio/KMNY_102999_PakCoup_small.mp3 |accessdate=2007-11-10]

Professional life

Prior to migrating to the United States in January 1989, Imran established a small technology and consulting business in Pakistan under the trademark acronym IMRAN (Information & Media Resources, Affiliations, Networks). He also heads ITC (Incorporated Technologies Corporation) based in Lahore, Pakistan, and New York, USA, which develops Web 2.0 technology-based solutions in social networking, online content monetization, and mobile eBusiness.

Imran established imran.pk (aka IMRAN-NET) as the first ISP [cite web|url=http://www.ispak.com.pk/InternetInPak.html|title=History of Internet in Pakistan|accessdate=2007-10-24] in Pakistan. [cite web|url=http://www.yale.edu/icrg/2001.conference.html|title=Bordering on Peace: A Conference On India-Pakistan Relations|accessdate=2007-10-14] He and a colleague had obtained control of Pakistan's top level .PK domain (ccTLD or country code top-level domain) in 1990, despite living in the USA at the time.

He has been credited as being the "father of the Internet mail system" in Pakistan, and is also said to have introduced global credit cards to Pakistani banks and customers. [Citation| title = How to Build Bridges and Influence Civilizations: An Interview With World Renowned Pakistani-American Media Personality Imran Anwar| newspaper =Pakistan Times | year =2003| date =2003-05-29| url = http://www.imran.com/IMRAN/MediaCoverage/PakistanTimes052903.html] (In 1996 the government owned telecom monopoly in Pakistan failed to wrest control of the domain from private hands, and in the late 1990s the ccTLD moved to "collective national management" by the many Internet related stakeholders in Pakistan. [cite web|url=http://www.sdnp.undp.org/rc/forums/tech/sdnptech/msg02839.html|title=Re: running a TLD registry|accessdate=2007-10-24] ).

He was Business Manager of the ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) Certified largest media organization, the Jang Group of Newspapers in Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan and Correspondent and General Manager of MAG Weekly, Pakistan's largest circulation weekly English publication.

In the United States Imran worked with Viant (formerly Silicon Valley Internet Partners) and with Computer Associates for several years. Later he was appointed CEO of EverTrac [cite web|url=http://www.spacedaily.com/news/gps-00b.html|title=Space Daily: GPS To Get Internet Boost
accessdate=2007-10-15] helping technology companies to develop GPS, wireless and RFID based solutions [cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-17-2000/0001267084&EDATE=|title=EverTrac, Inc. and RoyalTek Company Limited Partner to Bring World-Class Location-Aware & Telematics Solutions to the Global Marketplace|accessdate=2007-10-15] used in law enforcement, logistics and government [cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-05-2000/0001304505&EDATE= | title=EverTrac, Inc. to Sponsor Major U.S. Federal Government Symposium Highlighting Location-Aware eGovernment Solutions | accessdate=2007-10-15] .

In Long Island, he is a member of the Advisory Board of Brookhaven Memorial Hospital and is a past member of the Editorial Advisory Board for VARbusiness Magazine of CMP Media. He also served in the non-profit child welfare industry in Florida as CIO of a well-known organization, and continues to be a consultant to the industry.cite web|url=http://www.linkedin.com/in/imran|title=LinkedIn: Imran Anwar|accessdate=2007-10-15]

Media life

Anwar has been a guest on radio shows in New York, California, Iowa, [cite web|url=http://www.imran.com/media/radio/|title=Radio Interviews Imran Anwar|accessdate=2007-12-08] on stations including WWRL, KMNY as well as online on shows like "You Are The Guest". He has been a contributor on shows on CNN, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Channel, GEO TV, WWOR NY and others. Additionally, he writes a blog on his website which is also syndicated in various newspapers. Anwar's business includes syndication of the world's leading media syndication companies, including United Media, Editors Press Service, and others, in several South and Central Asian countries.

Articles he has written have been published in multiple newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, the Far Eastern Economic Review, Mag Weekly, News International, The Pakistan Times, The Post and Daily Jang. [cite web|url=http://en.allexperts.com/q/Published-E-published-2388/online-writers.htm|title=AllExperts - Getting Published|accessdate=2008-07-08]

He has been interviewed by several publications, such as Newsday [Citation | last =Sanger| first =Elizabeth | title =Give Him Long Island | newspaper =Newsday | url = http://www.imran.com/IMRAN/MediaCoverage/newsday041899.html] , Beijing Review [Citation | last =Yanjuan| first =Wang | last2 =Rice | first2 =Michael | title =A New Dimension of Terror | newspaper =Beijing Review| url = http://www.bjreview.cn/EN/En-2005/05-29-e/w-2-2.htm] , The Pakistan Times, Dosheeza Digest, Daily Jang [cite web|url=http://www.imran.com/IMRAN/MediaCoverage/Jang_Interview_0602.pdf|title=Jang Interviews Imran Anwar|accessdate=2007-11-25] , The Post, and The Nation [cite web|url=http://www.imran.com/IMRAN/MediaCoverage/Imran_Anwar_Nation_Interview.jpg|title=Nation Interviews Internet Pioneer Imran Anwar|accessdate=2008-09-09] . He is also interviewed by major publications on technology issues, including Newsday. [cite web|url=http://www.imran.com/IMRAN/MediaCoverage/Imran_Anwar_Newsday_Apple_20080820.html|title=Apple .Mac Service|accessdate=2008-09-09]

His comments also appear in ComputerWorld [cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com/action/googleSearch.do?cx=014839440456418836424%3A-khvkt1lc-e&q=%22Imran+Anwar%22&x=0&y=0&cof=FORID%3A9|title=Imran Anwar in ComputerWorld|accessdate=2008-04-05] , and other technology and business publications.

Anwar is also a charter member of the Forbes CEO Network, where his contributions are part of the relaunch of the high powered executive media portal. [cite web|url=http://ceonetwork.forbes.com/user/imrananwar_forbesceo|title=Forbes CEO Network: Imran Anwar|accessdate=2008-07-08]

He has also worked for the promotion of intellectual property rights and concepts in South Asia since 1989. [cite web|url=http://www.digitalpodcast.com/detail-imran.tv_in_my_humble_opinion-10984.html|title=Imran Anwar on Promoting Intellectual Property Rights in Asia|accessdate=2008-09-09] At that time, working with well known industry figures like the late Sidney Goldberg and the late John Klem, Sr., he first acquired the rights to exclusively represent the world's leading media syndication companies. [cite web|url=http://www.unitedfeatures.com/ufsapp/international.do|title=United Features Syndicate/Newspaper Enterprise Association Agents|accessdate=2008-07-08]

Represented under the IMRAN media business, these syndicates include United Media, Scripps Howard Newspapers, Universal Press Syndicate, Tribune Media Services and others through Editors Press Service (now Atlantic Syndication Partners) and represent the rights to world-class properties like Dilbert, Snoopy, Garfield, and their other syndicated features for Pakistan and other countries. [cite web|url=http://www.unitedfeatures.com/ufsapp/international.do|title=United Features Syndicate/Newspaper Enterprise Association Agents|accessdate=2008-07-08]

The business later grew to include clients in Sri Lanka and Bangla Desh. This business now also operates in a several other countries, including Iran, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and also Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. [cite web|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/services/business-services-miscellaneous-business/4675978-1.html|title=More Asian Countries Can Buy United Content|accessdate=2008-06-05]

Anwar is the founder of "Ummedia" and Moderate & Modern Muslims Movement, Founder & former Editor of Pakistan News Service, and PakistanNews (first daily online and emailed newspaper, 1989). He is also a syndicated columnist, published in and written about in newspapers worldwide, including Wall Street Journal as inventor, and expert on high technology, South-Asia, Middle-East regions & foreign affairs. He is President & CEO of EverTr@c, which helps organizations locate and track their mobile assets, as well as Chairman & CEO of EverTrace. He is also President & CEO of IAAI Aerospace & Aviation Technologies, helping make General Aviation companies take advantage of global opportunities. [cite web|url=http://www.onenationforall.org/component/option,com_deeppockets/task,contShow/id,164/Itemid,87/|title=One Nation - Imran Anwar|accessdate=2008-07-08]

During the Pakistani Presidential elections September 2008 Anwar has also been on air regularly on the Pakistan's largest and most viewed TV channels of GEO TV and Jang Group. [cite web|url=http://www.imran.com/images/imran/Imran_Anwar_GEO_News_20080906.jpg|title=GEO NEWS TV Interviews Imran Anwar|accessdate=2008-09-09]

References