Pakistani students continue to make the country proud by impressing the world with their excellent performances in the global professional accountancy exams, conducted by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).

Zara Naeem, an ACCA student from Lahore, has been declared the global prizewinner for scoring the highest marks in the Financial Reporting exam conducted in December 2020.

Despite much damage done to the people’s livelihoods and studies globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, ACCA was able to conduct almost 153,000 exams across the world, and that, too, along with the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) so that the health and lives of students could be saved from the pandemic.

The ACCA exams test the skills and competencies that a modern-day accountant needs with a firm grounding in ethics and professionalism.

It prepares students for a rewarding career as a qualified and ethical finance professional.

The ACCA qualification is considered the highest standard in accountancy with recognition and presence in over 179 countries the world over.

Crediting her father with this success, Zara said her father had always encouraged all the girls in the family to pursue their dreams and smash all artificial barriers.

Retired after a stellar career in the Pak Army, Zara’s father himself holds a master’s degree and is highly passionate to see his child doing big things for the country.

“My father is a true role model for me. I grew up seeing him reaching great heights in his military service that always inspired me to follow in his footsteps,” she said. “Seeing his gold medal that he was awarded with his MBA made me challenge myself to live up to his legacy by dedicating myself fully to my studies.”

Explaining the reason for choosing ACCA, Zara shared, “ACCA was a natural choice for me. Most military families move every few years, so I always knew I needed a qualification that ensures flexibility and offers global mobility. With over 527,000 students in nearly 179 countries studying and sitting the same exams, ACCA is the best option for those who wish to go places.”

Zara has big dreams for herself and is committed to starting her own consultancy firm after getting ACCA membership.

She expressed the hope that her firm would be able to win international clients due to her globally accepted qualification and worldwide connections that ACCA membership offered.