Ashar is faculty at the department of community health sciences, Aga Khan University. He has Masters in sciences in health economics from university of York, UK, an M.A in economics and a post graduate diploma in public administration from University of Peshawar. He is course director for courses of health economics and cost effectiveness analysis in M.Sc. health policy and management and M.Sc. in epidemiology and bio-statistics offered by the university. Before joining AKU, Ashar was associated with Ministry of Health in various capacities of public health planning, management and policy making at national level.

Ashar research interest generally lies in the field of health economics and quantities analysis. Most of his published work is on health and disease expenditures, review and evaluation of health policy and reforms. He is involved in research on cost and cost effectiveness analysis of clinical interventions and disease surveillance.