Ahsan Iqbal Chairs 18th PIDE Senate Meeting; Strategic Reform Agenda Unveiled
Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, as Chancellor, chaired the 18th meeting of the Senate of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), where the Institute unveiled its comprehensive three-year strategic roadmap aimed at transforming into a globally recognized think tank.
Welcoming the newly constituted Senate, Vice Chancellor Dr. Nadeem Javaid outlined a forward-looking agenda focused on strengthening research capacity, expanding policy impact, modernizing academic programs, accelerating digital transformation, building strategic partnerships, and ensuring financial sustainability. “We are shaping a future-ready PIDE—one that leads with relevance, research, and results,” he noted.
A key highlight was the proposed overhaul of the Institute’s salary structure to attract and retain top talent. Minister Iqbal directed benchmarking against leading institutions like IBA and LUMS and tasked a committee, to be chaired by Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, with designing a competitive and sustainable compensation framework.
In line with its academic renewal, PIDE announced the launch of domain-specific 8 new research centers and set a target of increasing research output by 3 times high-quality publications over five years. The Minister urged PIDE scholars to move beyond conventional paradigms and inject bold, realistic perspectives into development discourse—especially in redefining rural development through diversified economic opportunities, not just agriculture.
To bridge research with policy, a new academic program in Public Policy & Governance was introduced: PhD candidates who complete coursework will be attached to government ministries for hands-on public policy training under work-study program. Minister Iqbal also proposed initiating semester exchange programs with international universities to enhance student exposure.
Reinforcing PIDE’s accountability framework, the Senate resolved to conduct an institutional performance review every year. Additionally, a committee will be formed to craft and seek Senate approval for priority research themes aligned with national needs.
“The time for incremental change is over. We need exponential thinking,” said Minister Iqbal. “PIDE must lead by identifying strategic opportunities in global supply chains where Pakistan can gain a competitive edge.”
Senate members actively shared ideas to ensure PIDE remains adaptive, visionary, and responsive to Pakistan’s evolving development landscape.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
