Holds degrees of MBBS, M.Sc, Masters in Political Science & Public Administration and LLM. Joined Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1995. Served at Headquarters as Section Officer (1997 and 2000-2001) and Deputy Director (2002-2004), Director (2010-13), DCP (2013), Director (2013-15), Director General (2015-20). Also served as Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2017-2019). Held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan Missions abroad: Dar-es-Salaam (1998-2000), Brussels (2004-2007) and Jeddah (2007-2010). Served as Ambassador to Germany from April 2020 – July 2023.
Alternate Permanent Representative to International Maritime Organisation
He has held senior executive positions for 14 years at SSE plc, including roles such as Group Chief Data Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Business Transformation Director, and Head of IT Strategy and Performance. Before his tenure at SSE, he worked for nearly 20 years as a technology and business change management consultant with Accenture and Capgemini in multiple industries.
Ashar is a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Ashar has lived in Woking for over 20 years.
Julian Beere brings over 20 years of senior leadership experience in strategy, sustainability, and corporate development, gained through executive roles in multinational firms and advisory boards. A Chartered Accountant with an MA in Mathematics and Computation from Oxford, he is known for his strategic clarity, analytical rigour, and ability to navigate complex environments. Julian advises charities on strategy and supports Boards to achieve sustainable impact. He is also strategy advisor to Funders in Good (FIG). Deeply committed to community wellbeing, Julian is honoured to contribute his skills to the mosque’s future development.
Julian has lived in Woking since 1998.
Harris Irfan is Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Cordoba Capital Markets, a Shari’a compliant financial services company. He has three decades of experience in London and the Middle East, specialising in Islamic finance and Shari’a compliant fintech. Previous roles included co-founding the Islamic Finance team at Deutsche Bank, CEO of Deutsche’s Islamic subsidiary, and Global Head of Islamic Finance at Barclays Capital.
He is the author of Heaven’s Bankers: Inside the Hidden World of Islamic Finance. He writes and presents on Islamic economics to audiences ranging from the Bank of England to the Oxford Union.
Harris holds BA/MA (Hons) in Physics from the University of Oxford and has lived in Woking since 2012.
Misdaq founded Zaidi & Co in 1974 and was one of the first Asians in Britain to become a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and who has now practised over for 50 years. Misdaq started the company with just one client and built a global empire, with an associated office in Dubai. Misdaq’s proficiency spans over 50 years and his areas of expertise are tax investigations, accounting, auditing, taxation and financial advice. Misdaq has also co-authored an autobiography detailing his childhood and struggles since the partition in 1947. The book entitled ‘Umar-e-Guzishta’, broadly translated to ‘my past life’, is used as a reference point in universities.
Misdaq lives near Woking.
Mr. Kamal is a law graduate with a strong passion for sustainability and innovation. As an entrepreneur and founder of multiple startup ventures, Kamal has led projects across clean technology, business development, and compliance. His work includes renewable energy initiatives—particularly in waste-to-energy solutions—as well as the introduction of the ‘Carbon Smart’ concept in the UK, aimed at promoting greener transport and lowering carbon emissions. With over 30 years of diverse experience, including in the security sector, Kamal is driven by ideas that create meaningful, real-world impact and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Mr. Kamal has lived in Woking since 2013.
Somia’s achievements include setting up the Muslim network and establishing Jum’a at the Bank of England in 2013; chairing Woking People of Faith (2013 to 2016); and delivering Islam Awareness Week and Living Islam festivals for the Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) since 2001. Her interests include spending time with family and friends, travelling and looking after her health by endorsing an organic lifestyle and keeping fit.
Somia has lived in Woking for over 45 years.
Shamas Tabrez has been active in the Mosque and community of Woking for many years. Shamas Tabrez lives in Woking.
The Commodore was commissioned into the Pakistan Navy in 1995 and joined the Special Service Group (Navy) in 2000. He has held a wide range of command and staff positions, including Commanding Officer of a Midget Submarine and the Maritime Special Warfare Battalion, Brigade Commander of the SSG(N) and Creeks (Marines) Brigade, and senior staff roles at Naval Headquarters. He is accredited as Defence Attaché to Denmark and Sweden. He is a graduate of the Pakistan Navy War College (Masters in Maritime War Studies), National Defence University Islamabad (MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management), and NATO Defense College, Italy. Commodore Khawaja has been awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-e-Basalat for meritorious service. He lives in London.
Imam Hafiz Hashmi is the Head Imam and Head of Education at Shah Jahan Mosque. He has a Masters in Arabic and Classical Islamic Sciences, Masters in Political Science and 20 years experience as a senior Imam. Alongside religious services at the mosque for example 5 daily prayers, conducting Nikkah (wedding ceremony), leading funerals, and counselling (social and domestic issues). He is also involved in dealing with community matters, engaging with the youth via sports and other activities. He is an active member and trustee of the Surrey Muslim Association (platform of Mosques and Islamic Centres in Surrey) and he is involved in interfaith work in Surrey.
The aims of Mosque include promoting peace and harmony within the community; Imam Hashmi is actively involved in achieving this aim by being active in interfaith dialogue and meeting people from all backgrounds and faiths and no faith.
Hafiz Muhammad Akram is the mosques secondary imam and has been serving the Masjid since 1993. He has completed Hifdth of the Quran as well as islamic studies in Pakistan.