ISLAMABAD :
Professor Khurshid Ahmed, a renowned scholar, economist, politician, author, researcher, former senator and founder of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) of Pakistan, passed away on April 13, 2025, in Leicester, UK after a prolonged illness.
Professor Khurshid Ahmed was born on March 23, 1932 in Delhi. He was a renowned thinker, politician, economist, author and researcher. He had a long association with Jamaat-e-Islami. Professor Khurshid Ahmed was a member of the Senate for 22 years from 1985 to 2012, except for a short break. He has also served as the Minister for Planning and Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission.
In 1979, he founded the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in Islamabad and served as its Chairman until 2021. He was a founding trustee of the International Islamic University; Mark Field was the President of the Institute of Higher Education, Leicester, UK; a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Management Sciences, Lahore; and the President of the Islamic Foundation, UK.
Professor Khurshid Ahmed has compiled and authored more than 100 books in Urdu and English. His books and articles have been translated and published in Arabic, French, Turkish, Bengali, Japanese, German, Indonesian, Hindi, Chinese, Korean, Persian and other languages.
Professor Khurshid Ahmed has had PhD theses written in leading universities in Malaysia, Turkey and Germany. In recognition of his academic and research services, he was awarded a PhD in Islamic Economics from the University of Malaya, Malaysia, a PhD in Literature from Loughborough University, UK in 2004, and a PhD in Education from the International Islamic University, Malaysia.
Professor Khurshid Ahmed was awarded the Islamic Development Bank’s Award for his valuable services in Islamic economics in 1989, while the Saudi government awarded him the King Faisal Award in 1990 in recognition of his services to Islam at the international level. In addition, in 1990, the Government of Pakistan awarded him the highest civilian award, ‘Nishan-e-Imtiaz’, in recognition of his services.
The death of Professor Khurshid Ahmed is a great tragedy not only for Pakistan but also for the Muslim Ummah. His services to Pakistan and Islam will always be remembered in the best words.
