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Ayla Musharraf Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth18 February 1970

Age52 Years (as of 2022)

BirthplaceKarachi, Pakistan

ProfessionArchitect; Director of the All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC), Karachi

NationalityPakistani

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAsim Raza

FamilyFather: Pervez Musharraf; Mother: Sehba Musharraf; Brother: Bilal Musharraf; Daughters: Maryam Raza, Zainab Raza

Ayla Musharraf Biography

Ayla Musharraf is a Pakistani architect-turned-cultural organiser who has led the Karachi chapter of the All Pakistan Music Conference. Daughter of former‑

Early life and background
Ayla Musharraf was born on 18 February 1970 and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. She comes from a family with strong musical interests: her paternal grandparents played instruments and her childhood environment included exposure to classical and ghazal traditions. These early influences helped shape a lifelong engagement with music alongside her formal training in architecture.

Ayla began architectural studies in Karachi at Dawood Engineering College but relocated to Lahore during the late 1980s because of student unrest in Karachi. She completed a Bachelor of Architecture at the National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore. While at NCA she attended many concerts organised by the All Pakistan Music Conference and the Lahore Music Forum and also took lessons in classical music.

Career
Ayla worked professionally in an architectural firm until 2010. During and after her studies she maintained a parallel involvement in classical music and cultural organising. After moving back to Karachi following her marriage, she met Hayat Ahmed Khan, the founder of the All Pakistan Music Conference, at a dance festival and encouraged the organisation to stage events in Karachi, where cultural activity was then less frequent than in Lahore.

In 2004 she helped organise APMC Karachi’s first concert as a member of the local board. Over time she assumed increasingly senior roles within the organisation. She has served as General Secretary of APMC Karachi and later became its director, taking on responsibilities for promoting traditional performing arts and sustaining the organisation’s programmes in the city.

Ayla’s own musical education continued alongside her organisational work: she studied the Khayal genre under Ustad Naseer-ud-Din Saami of the Qawwal Bachcha/Dilli gharana. Beyond performance and administration, she has pursued a six-month course in Persian and remains an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction.

Public profile
Ayla is the daughter of Pervez Musharraf and Sehba Musharraf. Her husband is Asim Raza, a film and television commercial director and producer. The couple have two daughters: Maryam Raza, who began directing in 2021, and Zainab Raza, who has worked as a stylist. Ayla’s brother is Bilal Musharraf.

Her public role has included advocacy on women’s issues; she has spoken at events focused on women’s leadership and participated in international conversations about women’s roles during crises. In 2013 she and members of her family faced threats that were reported to have been issued by militant elements; intelligence agencies informed the relevant authorities about those reported threats.

Latest updates
After leaving architectural practice in 2010, Ayla continued her work with the All Pakistan Music Conference and rose to its directorship in Karachi. Her daughter Maryam’s first credited directing work appeared in 2021 on the music video for the song ‘Pyaar Da Meter,’ with Zainab contributing as stylist for the production.

Ayla continues to be active in promoting classical music and cultural events in Karachi while engaging in public speaking on women’s leadership and related social issues.
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Recent Work

Director, All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC), Karachi

Leadership and organisation of traditional performing arts programming in Karachi; former General Secretary of APMC Karachi

2010–present
Helped organise APMC Karachi’s inaugural concert

Board member who assisted in staging the first Karachi concert for APMC in 2004

2004
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Career Highlights

  1. Completed a Bachelor of Architecture from the National College of Arts, Lahore
  2. Worked in an architectural firm until 2010 before focusing on cultural work
  3. Organised the first All Pakistan Music Conference concert in Karachi (2004) as a board member
  4. Served as General Secretary and later Director of APMC Karachi
  5. Studied Khayal under Ustad Naseer-ud-Din Saami
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ayla Musharraf born?

18 February 1970

What is Ayla Musharraf known for?

Architect; Director of the All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC), Karachi

What is Ayla Musharraf’s marital status?

Married

Who is Ayla Musharraf married to?

Asim Raza