Talha Ahad Podcast

They left Pakistan. Built new lives. Created companies. Found stability. But no matter where they go, Pakistan keeps showing up in the guilt, in the pride, in the conversations that never really end. In this roundtable, three diaspora voices, Saad Hashmani, Chaudhry Ayaz, and Uzair Hasan, sit down not just to talk about business or identity, but about what it means to still care about a country th...

Is journalism still journalism when it’s bought and sold? Behind the glitz of primetime lies a broken system: unpaid staff, Syed Talat Hussain collapsing newsrooms, and journalists struggling to survive. ‪gives a raw, insider look into the structural collapse of Pakistan’s media landscape. We talk about financial insecurity, political interference, and why truth-telling has become a luxury. Search...

Why are Pakistan’s most promising founders giving up and moving out? This week, we sit down with Mubariz Siddiqui, founder of Carbon Law and legal advisor to some of Pakistan’s biggest startups, to discuss the country's broken startup ecosystem. From regulatory loopholes and crypto bans to policy failures and the brain drain, Mubariz shares the inside view on how the startup wave rose after 20...

“Do I love Pakistan enough to die for it? No.” Shehzad Ghias‬ has been called everything: traitor, atheist, sellout, hero. In this week’s episode, the host of The Pakistan Experience‬ joins us to talk about the mental toll of cancel culture, the loneliness behind viral fame, and why he’s no longer sure if it’s safe to live or speak freely in Pakistan. He opens up about public backlash, blasphemy a...

Fame, ego, and the grind behind the camera. What really goes into making it as a creator in Pakistan, and why it’s harder than it looks. In this episode, Irfan Junejo and Kazi Akber get honest about gatekeeping, mainstream egos, chasing perfection, and surviving a world where numbers matter more than craft. From awkward encounters with celebrities to finding meaning in a noisy digital space, this...

What does it take to build an empire when no one gives you a roadmap? In this episode, Sultana Siddiqui, the force behind ‪HUM, talks about starting from scratch, fighting nepotism, and carving out space for women when the industry refused to make room. From working in a garage to launching one of South Asia’s biggest entertainment channels, she reflects on loss, resilience, and why teaching the n...

What if the biggest battles weren’t fought with guns, but with whispers? In this episode of the Talha Ahad Podcast, Ali K. Chishti, counter-terrorism expert and author, takes us into the unseen corridors of intelligence. From the tangled roots of Al‑Qaeda and the Taliban, to the covert games of RAW and ISI, Ali exposes how espionage shapes borders, politics, and perceptions. If you’ve ever wondere...

More than fame, Saad Hashmani wants to be understood. In this week’s podcast, the Pakistani-American businessman opens up about the illness that changed his life, the trap of online fame, and why he walks out of award shows but shows up at funerals. We talk power, ego, influencer silence on Palestine, and how Pakistan is losing the war of narratives to India. Saad breaks down toxic motivation cult...

What’s it really like growing up as a Black or African-identifying person in Pakistan? In this episode of TAP Into, content creator Abdullah Maroof , entrepreneur and talent strategist Abiola, and social media influencer Nawafil aka Fils unpack what most people are too awkward to even ask. From microaggressions in schools to double takes in taxis, and how they’ve carved out space in a culture that...

What if Pakistan’s climate crisis isn’t just about emissions, but about the flawed data we’re submitting to the world? In this episode, Dr. Fahad Saeed, Senior Climate Scientist, breaks down the alarming gaps in Pakistan’s official climate strategy, from typos in United Nations reports to calling Quetta our hottest zone. We unpack how bad research, clueless foreign consultants, and a broken knowle...

Electricity in Pakistan is more than just power generation—it’s a complex web of regulation, taxation, and infrastructure. Muhammad Aamir Ghaziani, Chief Financial Officer at KElectric , joins us to unpack the Multi-Year Tariff framework, the role of NEPRA, and why nearly 40% of your bill isn’t even electricity. If you've ever looked at your bill and wondered, “Why am I paying so much?”, this...

What does self-worth have to do with development? Everything, says Mohamed Yahya, UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan. In this episode, we explore the invisible roots of gender inequality, the silent complicity of society, and why men must be part of the solution. Yahya unpacks what real inclusion looks like, why storytelling is a development tool, and how optimism might just be...

How did we go from concert mania to algorithm music? Why did bands break up? Why do solo acts thrive today? And did Coke Studio save or centralise the scene? Pakistan had a band culture. It had chaos, fanbases, and a sound of its own. Then everything changed. Join Bilal Ali (Lead Vocalist, Kashmir Band), Zohaib Kazi (Producer), and Saad Music (Music Producer) as they trace the fall and fight of an...

He didn’t go to Oxbridge. He didn’t have a fancy visa. What he had was grit, rejection emails, and an obsession with figuring it out. In this roundtable episode, Mekaeel Malik, Co-founder of Carbon Track, shares how he hacked his way into a hedge fund internship in the UK, what the job market doesn't tell you, and why he’s now building systems to help Pakistanis win abroad. We talk strategy, survi...

Wall Street dream? Shattered. TV channel? Shut down. Business? Rebuilt from scratch. In this week's episode, Faizan Sadi Syed, Founder of East River, shares his journey from Wall Street to building one of the most agile creative agencies in the region. This episode dives into the future of advertising, the broken agency model, creators driven by ego, and how AI is reshaping the game. This conv...

Tobacco has been part of human history for millennia, but what if science could rewrite its future? In this episode, Dr. James Murphy, Director of Research & Science at British American Tobacco, walks us through the data, debates, and decisions behind BAT’s global shift from cigarettes to safer, smokeless alternatives. We talk about nicotine, regulation, Pakistan’s strategic role, and whether...

Money, meaning, and messy relationships. What happens when Gen Z’s emotional intensity meets Millennial realism? In this roundtable, ‪Usman Asif, Founder and CEO of ‪Devsinc, Usra Murtaza, Community Builder at Minerva, and Esha Kirmani, Author, Entrepreneur, and NLP Coach, dive deep into money, healing, ego, identity, and what it really takes to live well in a world that’s burning out fast. Search...

Behind every container at Pakistan’s border is a system you never see and a story you’ve never heard. In this episode, Syed Aftab Haider, CEO of Pakistan Single Window, unpacks the hard truths behind smuggling, broken coordination, and resistance to reform. From digital customs to a future where import/export happens at your fingertips, this isn’t just about paperwork; it’s about power, politics,...

What does it really take to build wealth in Pakistan? In this episode, Abdul Rehman Najam, Founder & CEO of ARN Financials, shares his story, from his early fascination with mental maths, working shifts at Pizza Hut in the UK, to becoming one of Pakistan’s leading advocates for long-term stock investing. He talks about overcoming the fear of investing, the misconceptions around real estate, an...

False flag operations, media warfare, and deepening internal rifts, former Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar takes us inside the battles Pakistan is fighting today: on its borders, within its institutions, and across the national imagination. As global attention stays fixated on Gaza, a new geopolitical standoff may already be brewing across Kashmir and Balochistan. Add to that the unce...

Is now the right time to invest in Pakistan’s real estate? Naeem Abbas Warraich, Director Sales & Marketing at Park View City, says yes and explains why. From boom-bust cycles to visionary planning, here’s what you need to know before investing your life savings. Search ‘Talha Ahad Podcast' on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen to your podcasts. #talhaahad #talhaahadpodcast #...

What if someone could see through your energy, your emotions, your soul before you even spoke? Alizay Rahman can. A clairvoyant, energy reader, and life coach, she joins us for a conversation on spirit realms, childhood visions, and the burden of knowing too much. From the trauma of being misunderstood to the thrill of spiritual connection, this episode isn’t just a story; it’s a shift in consciou...

What does it really mean to lead in 2025, and are we ready for what leadership now demands? Helen Brand has led ACCA as its Global CEO for over 16 years. Ayla Majid, the first Pakistani and South Asian to serve as Global President, brings bold energy and governance experience to the table. Together, they explore how leadership must evolve from hierarchical models to collaborative, multigenerationa...

After battling depression and insomnia, Naveed Kiani didn’t just recover, he transformed. Now a certified Life Coach and Hypnotherapist in Australia, he shares how hypnotherapy helped him reconnect with himself and find purpose. In this episode, we unpack what hypnosis really is (and isn’t), how the subconscious holds our deepest patterns, and why true healing begins with letting go of what no lon...

What happens when faith, fitness, and mental health collide? In this episode, Dr. Waseem Ullah Shaheen shares his journey from anxiety and physical transformation to discovering the teachings of Wasif Ali Wasif. We talk about grief, spiritual growth, Gen Z, Tasawwuf, self-love, and why emotional healing matters just as much as physical health. If you’re overwhelmed, seeking clarity, or just starti...