Lahore: When Fahad Shahbaz founded the Youth General Assembly in 2015, he was eighteen years old and working with a simple but powerful idea: that young Pakistanis deserved a real seat in the conversations that shaped their country.
A decade later, Forbes has recognised him on its 30 Under 30 Asia 2026 list in the Social Impact category, placing him among the most influential young leaders across Asia.
The Youth General Assembly, which Fahad built from the ground up, now runs as a national platform modelled on Pakistan’s National Assembly and the UK Parliament. Each year, a 96-member assembly of young Pakistanis comes together to debate public policy and produce concrete recommendations for the government. It is not symbolic participation. It is structured, serious and consequential.
Beyond youth governance, Fahad is Managing Partner at Rehnuma Law, where he advises government bodies and senior leadership on legal, legislative and policy matters. His practice sits at the intersection of law and public policy, focused on legal reform and institutional development in Pakistan.
He holds an LL.M. and has studied at the Hague Academy of International Law, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, academic institutions that reflect a consistent commitment to governance and policy at the highest level.
As Focal Person at the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Government of Pakistan, Fahad works directly on youth empowerment initiatives and public sector innovation. He is also a recipient of the Diana Award and has represented Pakistan at international platforms including the United Nations, World Economic Forum, Commonwealth, OIC, SCO and BRICS.
Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia selects 300 young leaders from thousands of nominations across the Asia-Pacific every year. Fahad is believed to be the first Pakistani to hold both the Diana Award and Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, two of the most significant international youth recognitions in the world.
For Fahad Shahbaz, this recognition is not a destination. It is, as it has always been, a platform to do more.