Muhammad Abdullah, a young Pakistani student from Lahore has been declared the global prize winner by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) for scoring the highest marks among all ACCA students globally who appeared in its Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) paper in September 2020 exam session.

ACCA has a strong global presence with over 527,000 students in 179 countries currently pursuing its qualifications that rigorously test the skills, abilities and competencies that a modern-day accountant needs, with a firm grounding in ethics and professionalism. The ACCA Qualification prepares students for a rewarding global career as a qualified and ethical finance professional.

The excellent exam performance of Pakistani youth in ACCA’s competitive exams is another reminder that with the right support and a platform, Pakistan’s youth can truly put the country on the global map for talent, innovation and professional excellence.

It’s also an indication that the country is fast becoming a global source for future-ready business professionals who can compete with professionals around the world, build rewarding careers overseas or help realise Pakistan’s potential of becoming a preferred destination for global outsourcing encouraging global businesses to invest in setting up their back office operations in Pakistan and create employment opportunities for our youth who have global qualifications and repute.     

Abdullah is a resident of Lahore’s Rajgarh locality and has done all his early schooling from Lahore’s Saint Anthony’s School. He then took admission at the famous Government College University Lahore and passed his FSc – Pre-engineering with an impressive overall score of 92%.

His father is also a professional accountant and is happy to see his son following in his footsteps and pursuing a career in accounting and finance. His mother, who played a key role in infusing the spirit of a fighter in him, has a master’s degree in English Literature.

Talking about his journey, Abdullah shared: “I come from a middle-class family. The middle-class has its own struggles and challenges. There is constant pressure to perform to be competitive and to survive. I feel that this pressure has motivated me to step out of my comfort zone. As a professional in the future, I aim to bring a positive change in society and work towards empowering youth from underprivileged backgrounds. Having the ACCA qualification will provide me with the necessary skills and vision to do exactly that.”

Muhammad Abdullah is studying an ACCA embedded BSc Accounting and Finance programme at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The ACCA embedded programme at LUMS offers BSc Accounting and Finance students the opportunity to complete the ACCA exams during the course of their undergraduate degree.

ACCA has similar programmes at leading universities in Pakistan, such as National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, and Institute of Business Management (IoBM), allowing students to gain two qualifications at the same, i.e. university degree and ACCA’s professional qualification.

Discussing the disruption caused by Covid-19, Abdullah said: “Quarantine period due to Covid-19 gave me time to focus solely on my studies and exam preparation. Had the pandemic not happened, I don’t think I would have been able to achieve this milestone. What I mean to say is that every challenge we face in our lives brings a new set of opportunities for us that when taken with both hands can help us to stand out and achieve extraordinarily.”

“My message for the country’s youth is to never underestimate or limit your potential. With dedication, we can achieve anything and compete against everyone. And I see this success as just a beginning of a great career journey that awaits everyone with ambition, talent and courage! Accountancy is a great career to be in, a professional accountant can thrive in any sector or industry, and with ACCA’s global recognition, it’s your global passport to build a rewarding international career. For youngsters like me, ACCA has opened access to world-class qualification that we can complete without travelling abroad.”

In addition to global acclaim and exciting career prospects, all ACCA’s global position holders will also receive a certificate and cash prize from ACCA.