Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad is a distinguished educationist, researcher, and social entrepreneur who has dedicated more than three decades to advancing Special Education and Inclusive Education in Pakistan. As the Founder and President of Tanzeem Al-Lisan, he has devoted his life to creating educational opportunities and rehabilitation services for children and adults with disabilities, transforming countless lives through education, professional training, and community empowerment.

After completing his master’s degrees, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed pursued specialized professional training in Deaf Education. In 1989, he successfully completed the Teacher of Deaf (TD) diploma at Gung Mahal, Lahore, which was the only professional diploma of its kind in Pakistan at that time. This milestone marked the beginning of a lifelong mission to improve the quality of education and rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities.

In 1990, he established the Pearls Centre in Samanabad, Lahore, to serve children with hearing impairment. In 1992, he founded a Speech Therapy Centre in his own home at Ghulam Muhammad Abad, Faisalabad, introducing specialized speech and language intervention services to a region where such facilities were virtually unavailable.

With a vision to establish a sustainable and comprehensive system of Special Education, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed founded Tanzeem-al-lissan in 1996 as a registered nonprofit organization under the Punjab Social Welfare Department. Since then, the organization has evolved into one of Pakistan’s leading institutions in Special Education and Rehabilitation, offering multidisciplinary services in Speech and Language Therapy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Audiology, Physiotherapy, Psychological Assessment, Vocational Training, Inclusive Education, and professional development.

While serving in the Government Education Department, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad remained committed to academic excellence. He continued his higher education alongside his professional responsibilities, earning advanced qualifications in Special Education, including a Master’s degree and later a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). His academic achievements strengthened his commitment to evidence-based practice, research, and innovation in disability services.

Following his retirement from government service in 2019, Dr. Ahmad dedicated himself full-time to expanding the mission of Tanzeem-al-lissan. Under his visionary leadership, the organization has introduced pioneering academic programmes, including Postgraduate Diplomas in Speech and Language Therapy (PGD-SLT) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (PGD-ASD), along with undergraduate degree programmes and specialized teacher training initiatives designed to address Pakistan’s growing need for qualified professionals in Special Education and Rehabilitation.