Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, ex-chief of army staff Gen Raheel Sharif and Malala Yousafzai have been named among the 'World's 500 Most Influential Muslims' 2018, published by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre.

Bilquis Edhi, the wife of the late humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, has also been recognised for her philanthropy and charity work in the list by the independent research entity, which is based in Jordan.

The list names 31 Pakistanis, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq, human rights activist and lawyer Asma Jahangir, singer Abida Parveen, Dr Adib Rizvi and Maulana Tariq Jameel.

The list acknowledges 'influential Muslims' from 13 different categories of influence, including philanthropy, arts and culture, "extremists", science and technology, politics and the administration of religious affairs.

The Grand Sheikh of the Al-Azhar University, Professor Dr Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Al-Tayyeb, has been named as the most influential Muslim. King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia is on the second spot while King Abdullah II of Jordan has been ranked third.

Pakistani religious scholar Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani has been ranked seventh, and upstart Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman 13th.