Pakistani students continue to make the country proud by impressing the world with their excellent exam performance 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 highest marks in the Financial Reporting exam conducted in December 2020.
The ACCA qualification is considered the gold standard in accountancy with recognition and presence in over 179 countries worldwide, opening doors to highly respected, fulfilling career opportunities around the world.
Zara credits this success to her father who’s always encouraged all the girls in the family to pursue their dreams and smash all artificial barriers. Retired after a stellar career in the military, 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.’
Despite much disruption globally as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, ACCA was able to run almost 153,000 exams across the vast majority of its markets worldwide. For the health and safety of its students, additional measures were implemented in line with relevant governmental advice.
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.’
Busting the myth that finance and accountancy is a male-dominated profession, she shared, ‘This is no longer the case. With bodies like ACCA opening access, you’ll be surprised to learn that ACCA now has a female student base of 58%, with more women than ever looking to become professional accountants. So yes, get ready to see cracks in the glass ceiling.’
Zara has big dreams for herself and is committed to start her own consultancy firm after attaining ACCA membership. She’s confident that her firm will be able to win international clients due to her globally accepted qualification and worldwide connections that ACCA membership offers.
The ACCA Qualification rigorously tests 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.
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