IBA-CDC organized an inspirational guest speaker session with mountaineer Naila Kiani

October 25, 2022: IBA Career Development Center (CDC) organized a guest speaker session with mountaineer, Naila Kiani, the first Pakistani woman to summit 38,000m peaks K2, GI & GII. The session was sponsored by Mr. Razak Dawood, Founder of Balquis & Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation. The session was attended by IBA fraternity, including Former Dean IBA, Dr. Ishrat Husain and students.

Malahat Awan, Director of Corporate Relations and Alumni Affairs, welcomed Ms. Kiani to IBA. Dr. Abdullah Zafar, Professor and Dean School of Business Studies, delivered the opening address and thanked Mr. Dawood for setting up an endowment fund for deserving students at IBA and offering sports scholarships to students with exceptional sports talent under the BARD Foundation.

Ms. Kiani shared her inspirational story of how she fulfilled her dream of becoming a mountaineer. She stated that she belongs to a very humble and conservative family from Rawalpindi, who did not have any means of supporting her passion. She is a young mother, an Aerospace Engineer, and a Banker by profession. She shared her experience of climbing K2 and the obstacles she had to face.

She encouraged the students, stating, "Every one of us has the power to make the impossible possible." She also thanked the BARD Foundation which played a vital role in her mountaineering journey and has supported her at every step of the way.

Later, Mr. Dawood, shared that the BARD Foundation is eager to support individuals who have courage and determination and exceptional talent in any sport.

The session concluded with mementos being presented to the guest speaker and members of the BARD Foundation. Dr. Husain later accompanied Mr. Dawood and Ms. Kiani for a campus tour.