British-Pakistani entrepreneur and educationist Prof. Dr. Sarwar Muhammad Khawaja has been conferred the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, one of the highest civilian honours of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan by the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, at a prestigious investiture ceremony held at the President House.
Dr. Sarwar Muhammad Khawaja is launching Pakistan’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Lahore, which will be called the University of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Sciences (UAIES).
The ceremony was graced by the Chairman Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, alongside members of the federal and provincial cabinets, eminent diplomats, and distinguished representatives from Pakistan’s social and business spheres.
A recitation stated that this eminent accolade recognises Prof. Dr. Khawaja’s exemplary contributions to education, technological advancement, entrepreneurship, and social uplift, as well as his sustained commitment to enhancing Pakistan’s international stature and socio-economic progress.
Born in Lahore in 1968, he completed his early education from Lahore.
He is an alumnus of Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Buckinghamshire New University and City University of London. Prof. Dr. Khawaja is a prominent British Pakistani business entrepreneur in United Kingdom. Prof. Dr. Khawaja has emerged as a pre-eminent figure within the United Kingdom’s higher education management sector, establishing one of the largest education management operations in the UK. Through his initiatives, he has facilitated the transformation of over 40,000 lives globally through education management and skills development programmes.
He is the Founder and Chairman of London-based SK Hub and has held several distinguished international positions, including serving as a Senator in the European Economic Senate and as Chairman of the European Council on Global Relations.
The recitation stated that Prof. Dr. Khawaja has played a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s education ecosystem, including the successful facilitation of the country’s first Artificial Intelligence university charter in Punjab; his contributions extend well beyond academia into the domains of social welfare and community empowerment and he has spearheaded initiatives supporting underprivileged communities, while also funding critical healthcare infrastructure, including dialysis centres in Lahore and Kasur.
The recitation stated that Dr Sarwar Khawaja he has been instrumental in advancing Pakistan’s soft power globally through strategic international collaborations, including facilitating the visit of renowned fashion icon Jimmy Choo to Pakistan and supporting the establishment of a world-class fashion academy in the country.
Through his philanthropic endeavours, Prof. Dr. Khawaja has enabled access to free education for thousands of students across Punjab and empowered hundreds of women entrepreneurs through structured skills development and financial inclusion programmes.
Prof. Dr. Khawaja expressed his profound gratitude for the honour, noting that the recognition symbolises a collective commitment to public service and the advancement of future generations.
He said: “The conferment of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz stands as a defining milestone in acknowledging my lifelong dedication to educational excellence, innovation, and national development. I am thankful to the Pakistani govt for facilitating us in establishing Pakistan’s first AI university in Lahore. We are going to introduce the world class curriculum in our AI university which will empower the youth of Pakistan. UAIES will be Pakistan’s first AI university to strengthen education ecosystem in Punjab and Pakistan.”
