Simi Raheal. Sabeena Farooq to be honoured at CLC Global 100 Women Leaders Award 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s prominent women from entertainment, fashion, sport, entrepreneurship and social development are set to be recognised at the CLC Global 100 Global Women Leaders Award 2026, with the prestigious ceremony scheduled to take place in Islamabad this November.
Organised under the banner of the Creative Leadership Conference (CLC) Global, the awards honour women whose leadership, achievements and vision have made a meaningful impact across communities, industries and international platforms.
Among this year’s honourees is acclaimed actor Sabeena Farooq, who has emerged as one of the most recognised young faces in Pakistan’s television and film industry.
A Media Studies graduate, Farooq began her acting career in 2016 and has since delivered notable performances in projects including Tere Bin, Kabuli Pulao and Mann Jogi. Her portrayal of Barbeena in Kabuli Pulao earned her the Lux Style Award 2025 for Best TV Actress (Critics’ Choice), further strengthening her position among Pakistan’s leading young performers.
Farooq will be joined by veteran actor, educator and media professional Simi Raheal, whose career spans almost five decades across film and television.
A graduate of the National College of Arts, Lahore, Raheal is also a recipient of the Fatima Jinnah Medal for Media. Over the years, she has played an important role in mentoring emerging performers and contributing to media education in Pakistan and abroad.
The fashion and philanthropy sector will be represented by Seema Aziz, founder of fashion brand Bareeze and the CARE Foundation. Through the foundation, Aziz has supported the provision of education to more than 285,000 students across over 800 schools in Pakistan.
Her work as an entrepreneur and philanthropist has focused on expanding access to education and creating greater opportunities for young people across the country.
Motorcycle adventurer, filmmaker and content creator Zenith Irfan is also among the distinguished honourees. Irfan gained international recognition after becoming one of the first Pakistani women to undertake a solo long-distance motorcycle journey.
Inspired by her late father’s dream, her remarkable journey later became the basis for the 2018 film Motorcycle Girl. Her story also attracted international attention from major media organisations, including CNN and BBC.
For more than a decade, Irfan has advocated for women’s mobility and encouraged women to challenge conventional expectations and pursue unconventional paths.
The list of honourees also includes Pakistani MMA athlete Saria Khan, founder and director of Bahimmat, an initiative dedicated to women’s empowerment and self-defence.
Khan, recognised as the first female MMA athlete and fighter from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has represented Pakistan at national and international platforms. Through Bahimmat, she trains women, girls and children in self-defence, confidence-building and leadership skills, encouraging them to become positive agents of change in their communities.
The honourees collectively represent diverse forms of leadership in Pakistan, bringing together achievements in entertainment, education, entrepreneurship, sport and social development.
Through the CLC Global network, award recipients are also connected with policymakers, diplomats, entrepreneurs and changemakers from around the world, creating opportunities for collaboration and international engagement beyond the awards ceremony.
The CLC Global 100 Global Women Leaders Award 2026 ceremony is scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November.
