Our Story
Sardar Shaukat Mahmood Khan
Sardar Shaukat Mahmood Khan is an eternal optimist, visionary reformer and the inspiration behind ilmDOST. He is someone who has lived through the corporate board rooms yet has stayed in touch with the streets, villages and the people of Pakistan. Being an accomplished Management professional with thorough credentials of leadership he has led many organizations at the Chief level in the middle-east, only to return back to his roots as a philanthropist and a thought leader to work for his beloved Pakistan. He is who motivated Zaigham Khan to initiate this project and motivated the whole team to join hands for ilmDOST. Through his travels and meet-ups across Pakistan, Sardar Shaukat Khan spreads the message of political, social and educational reform. These days he focuses primarily in the area of politics and social work and has created platforms in rural areas to educate the indigenous people about democracy. He keeps challenging himself in active politics and believes that sustainable democracy can only come by educating the masses.
It is due honor, SARDAR SHAUKAT MAHMOOD KHAN HAJANA is the grandson of SARDAR DOST MUHAMMAD KHAN HAJANA and has remained his torch bearer of this philosophy that only education can create sustainable development.
ilmDOST is inspired by the social and education services of “MR. DOST MUHAMMAD KHAN HAJANA” who dedicated his life to imparting education amongst the tribal culture of eastern Baluchistan and present day south Punjab. Education in this area was a concept glued with modernity and was considered direct challenge to the tribal values. MR. DOST MUHAMMAD KHAN HAJANA remained a fierce advocate of education all his life and kept advocating the importance of education. Though, he was not a rich man but he dedicated a portion out of his personal wealth to build a Primary school in Jampur Tehsil which was later upgraded to the College. He also founded the Balochi girls educational society and inspired many to pursue excellence in the education to change their fortunes. He believed that education is the only sustainable way to bring enlightenment and development amongst the ignored and underprivileged. It is because of his services that in later consensus divisions as D.G.KHAN were amongst the areas with highest female education.
It is as a gratitude to DOST MUHAMMAD KHAN HAJAN’S services that this initiative is called ilmDOST. ILM in Urdu translates as “Knowledge” and “DOST” translates as “Friend”. So, ilmDOST literally translates as the “Friends of Knowledge”.
