11 eleven years old Sitara Akbar set new world record in O levels and also holds the title of the youngest Pakistani candidate in IELTS. – Photo courtesy of British Council of Pakistan.

KARACHI: A Pakistani girl has become the youngest student in the world to have passed the British Ordinary Level (O’Level) examination.

Sitara Brooj Akbar, at the age of 11, passed six O’level subjects including Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

In addition to this honour, Sitara also holds the title of being the youngest Pakistani candidate of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and successfully attained seven bands out of nine, scoring 7.5 in the testing system.

The little genius from Chiniot (Punjab) has been making headlines across local media but is yet to receive any recognition from the Government of Pakistan.

“We don’t need any sort of monetary aid from the government, we just want the government to recognise that Sitara has made a shining example for Pakistan on the international stage and she is the daughter of Pakistan,” Sitara’s father Ali Akbar told Dawn.com.

Ali Akbar added that the British Council has declared and recognised Sitara’s feat as the world’s youngest student to have passed O’level exams. However, she has only been declared the youngest IELTS candidate in Pakistan, and not across the world, as the British Council is yet to confirm her feat globally.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Sitara’s mother mentioned that her daughter is a great fan of Dr Abdus Salam, Pakistan’s sole Nobel laurete and aims to become a top researcher in the field of biochemistry.

Opinion

Editorial

Limiting the damage
Updated 07 Mar, 2026

Limiting the damage

Govt plan to revive a range of Covid-era steps reflect a recognition that early restraint can limit disruptive interventions.
Diplomatic option
07 Mar, 2026

Diplomatic option

WITH Operation Ghazab lil Haq underway for over a week now, Pakistan has demonstrated that it can take firm action...
Polio, again
07 Mar, 2026

Polio, again

ANOTHER child has fallen victim to polio, this time in Sindh. The National Institute of Health this week confirmed...
On unstable ground
Updated 06 Mar, 2026

On unstable ground

PAKISTAN’S economic managers repeatedly tout improvements in macroeconomic indicators, including rising foreign...
Divide et impera
06 Mar, 2026

Divide et impera

AS if the high loss of life in Iran, regional escalation and economic turbulence caused by the US-Israeli aggression...
New approach needed
06 Mar, 2026

New approach needed

WITH one World Cup campaign ending in despair, Pakistan began to plan for the start of the cycle of another by...