Seven Pakistanis Feature in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2026 List

Superstar Hania Amir and filmmaker Saman Kamran in the Arts category some other Pakistanis listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2026

The 11th edition of Forbes released this year includes 30 young talents who have made significant contributions in their fields.

Forbes said, “From entrepreneurs innovating in robotics and AI to investors, artists, athletes and scientists — this year’s 30 Under 30 Asia listees are pushing boundaries in every industry.”

Hania Aamir

A Pakistani actress Hania Aamir is extensively recognized by her work and also know for the most-followed Pakistani woman on Instagram with nearly 20 million followers., listed in the Entertainment & Sports category.

She started her career in 2016 and gained popularity in 2017 for her award-winning role in Phir Wohi Mohabbat. She is set to star in Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo, Netflix’s first Pakistani original production, releasing later this year.

Saman Kamran

A Pakistani filmmaker Saman Kamran, Forbes reported, his Gandhara: Land of Fragrance was officially selected for inclusion in the Cortomontagna-Premio Leggimontagna 2022.

During 2024, she worked with New York-based artist Wong Kit Yi on The Bed She Made, an tentative film exploratory productiveness and natural downfall in Asia.

Also in that year, er stop-motion work for Skehlaaj’s See Through the Sin received the Best Music Video title at the Film Tuition International Festival.

Plouton AI founders

In 2026 Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 listed Pakistani entrepreneurs Muhammad Furqan Karim Kidwai and Sarfraz Shahid Hussain, co-founders of Plouton AI, in the Finance & Venture Capital category.

Both founded Singapore-based Plouton AI, an agentic automation platform backed by Antler Singapore that helps midmarket companies automate finance-related workflows, as per Forbes reported.

Having founded a fintech firm in Pakistan earlier, Kidwai identified a gap in emerging markets, where finance teams largely still use spreadsheets and email-based processes.

Through auditable browser-based agents, Plouton AI’s system handle finance operations like invoicing, payroll management, and month-end reconciliations.

The platform works with commonly used tools including Xero, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Excel, helping firms manage financial workflows more efficiently without costly enterprise solutions.

This recognition includes Kidwai and Hussain in Forbes Asia’s yearly list of young entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders driving impact across the region.

Syed Ismail

Entrepreneur Syed Ismail from Pakistan has been listed in the Consumer & Enterprise Technology category for his work on digitalizing service sourcing and growing trade shot.

Founded in 2021 by Ismail in Karachi, Saraaf is a tech platform engrossed on converting service obtaining across Central and South Asia.

It is structure a mobile app for businesses trading resources such as onyx and cotton, containing real-time pricing, shipment tracking, digital contracts, and integrated communication features.

Maheera Ghani

Pakistani scientist Maheera Ghani has been named in the Healthcare & Science category for her contributions to advanced materials research and science education initiatives.

Maheera Ghani a scientist from Pakistan listed her name in the category of Healthcare & Science, in the contributions to progressive resources explore and science education ingenuities.

Scientist Maheera completed her PhD in Materials Science from the University of Cambridge in 2025, and right now she focused postdoctoral research on ultra-thin semiconductors at the same institution.

While continuing her academic work, she centrals WinSci Pakistan, a program intended to boost female participation in scientific fields.

The initiative was awarded the Nature Inspiring Women in Science award last year, presented by the Estée Lauder Companies and Springer Nature, in recognition of her push for greater gender inclusion in science careers.

Fahad Shahbaz

2026 Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 also recognized Pakistani youth leader Fahad Shahbaz, his name listed in the Social Impact category, to shine his works in promoting youth participation in leadership and policymaking.

In 2015, at the age of 18, Shahbaz founded the Youth General Assembly, to form structured lanes for young Pakistanis to involve in governance and policy discourse.

The program organizes an annual youth assembly of 96 members, modelled on the UK Parliament and Pakistan’s National Assembly, to debate policy issues and suggest recommendations.

Shahbaz, as per the profile, is a recipient of the 2023 Diana Award and is also part of the Pakistan chapter of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community.