The Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor 2025-2026: Councillor Mohammed Shafiq
The Lord Mayor was born in Village Doral, Mirpur, Pakistan and was educated at the village school, Doral Bainsi Jatti Dheri.
In 1984, he moved to the UK and attended a language centre in Bradford. He went to Bradford and Ilkley Community College and then studied social work, earning a Diploma. He also gained a BA (Hons) in Social Sciences from Bradford University.
As a young man, he worked at the famous Karachi Restaurant in Bradford, took a job in a petrol station and also worked as a private hire taxi driver.
In 1999 he graduated in social work and began a career working in child protection, helping safeguard some of our most vulnerable children. Shafiq finds the work challenging, but also feels it highly rewarding to be in a team who work tirelessly to improve the outcomes for local children. He has always prioritised trying to reduce poverty and has fought for more resources for vulnerable families throughout his career.
From 2015, he has held several locum roles as social worker, social work consultant and has been instructed as an independent cultural expert. His services, from specialist assessment to specialist support intervention, have been sought by many local authorities throughout the UK. His work has not been limited to only this country and he has taken a special interest in protecting and safeguarding our children wherever they may live in the world. Shafiq’s social work expertise has been sought by many local authorities across the country in working to safely return children who have been taken out of the UK. He currently works as a locum social worker.
Married to Naheed Akhtar, they have twin daughters who are studying dentistry and hope to qualify in the near future. They also have two boys; one is in his third year studying for a law degree, and their younger son is working towards his ‘A’ levels and aspires to study optometry and qualify as an optician.
Shafiq was elected to Bradford Council in 2006. He has been a deputy portfolio holder for housing, planning and regeneration. Shafiq has been a Chair of the Bradford East Area committee and currently is a Chair of the Regulatory and Appeal committee.
He worships at the Madni Masjid in Bradford and is a member of the Islamic Cultural Educational Association.
The Lord Mayor speaks English, Urdu and Punjabi. In his leisure time he enjoys watching football and supporting Bradford City Football Club. He has visited Turkey, Cyprus, and Disneyland Paris, as well as Saudi Arabia for religious pilgrimage. He has also visited Pakistan for family and work purposes.
He holds dear the work of the MND Charity. Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a heartbreaking condition which has deeply affected his family. Watching his cousin gradually lose strength and succumb to this condition was incredibly painful, made even more so by the fact that there is currently no cure. He feels strongly that we must support the dedicated health professionals and researchers who are tirelessly working to understand and combat MND. By investing in medical research, he believes we can bring hope to the thousands of people affected by this disease and move closer to finding a cure.
He would encourage people to advocate for, and support, research initiatives which can make a difference in the fight against MND.
He is looking forward to his year as Lord Mayor and is deeply committed to our vibrant community and takes pride in contributing to its growth and prosperity. His interests and hobbies centre around promoting personal development and community engagement. He is passionate about volunteering and regularly participates in local charity events and community clean-up initiatives. Keenly enthusiastic of Bradford’s rich history, he often finds himself carrying out research and championing our rich culture heritage.
He has no allergies, is teetotal, prefers coffee to tea, and eats only halal meat or vegetarian dishes.
Lady Mayoress 2025-2026: Mrs Naheed Akhtar
The Lady Mayoress was born in Mirpur, Pakistan. She was educated at Killinghall Primary School, Thornbury Middle School, followed by Carlton Bolling College.
She attained a Diploma in Business and Finance and worked, for ten years, as an Account Assistant in a local wholesale food company, which employed over 50 people.
Naheed is of the Islamic faith and worships at the Madni Masjid, in Bradford. She is a member of the Islamic Cultural Educational Association.
Naheed and her husband have twin daughters studying who look forward to serving the best interests of their patients once they qualify. They also have two boys, one of whom is in the final year of studying for a law degree, while his younger sibling is studying for his A Levels, with the aim of becoming an optician.
Naheed has travelled to Pakistan, Cyprus, Turkey and Disneyland Paris. She speaks English, Urdu and Punjabi. She has no allergies, eats only halal meat or vegetarian dishes, is teetotal and prefers tea to coffee.
Naheed’s father recently passed away with a heart condition and the Heart Foundation is a charity which she is very pleased to support whenever she can. Her hobbies include cooking and she makes mouth-watering dishes which invariably delight, from chicken masala to meat biryani.
Naheed feels strongly about promoting cultural awareness in the district and looks forward to a busy and fulfilling year ahead.