Ibrahim Shahid

Ibrahim Shahid, the son of a university professor of electrical engineering and educated at the private Beacon House School in Islamabad, set the record by achieving 23 A grades in 24 subjects in the Cambridge exam. Dutifully thanking his parents and teachers Ibrahim Shahid said "It’s the recognition for my country. This has never been done at O Levels.

"My teacher in Australia told my father 'Mr Shahid your son is an average student and he never can excel,' and then I decided to prove myself," he said in reference to two years he spent in Australia at primary school.

Shahid is drawn to physics and economics, wanting to do something to help his homeland, teetering on the edge of economic meltdown and beset by poverty.

"I want to do something for my country -- something unique," he said. He confessed to being "worried" about Pakistan, which suffers a critical "brain drain" of talent to the West.

Shahid takes inspiration from Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, widely hailed a hero in Pakistan. He wants to serve Pakistan and accepts, the future generation has to believe in hard work. They should not be disheartened. They should work hard to make the impossible possible.

The Cambridge O Level is an internationally recognised qualification for children aged 14 to 16, as part of preparation for university entrance and before end of school examinations. It is designed especially for the international market and students whose first language may not be English.

Shahid's school teachers welcomed his achievement as a rare piece of good news and a "message of hope" for Pakistan's future.