Honourable Senator Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali
Deputy Chairman, Senate of Pakistan
Balochistan, Pakistan Muslim League -PML
 

Senator Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, former Chief Minister of Balochistan (1998-1999), was elected to the Senate of Pakistan in 2006 on a Pakistan Muslim League – PML seat and is currently serving as the Deputy Chairman Senate. Senator Jamali hails from a political family associated with the Pakistan Muslim League since 1938. He received his schooling from Aitchison College Lahore and subsequently joined the Pakistan Army where he was commissioned in 1974. Senator Jamali resigned from the Army as Captain in 1979 and made his entry into politics in 1980. He was elected to the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan in 1991 and served as the Provincial Minister for Services and General Administration from 1991 to 1993. He also serves as a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence.

Honourable Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi, MNA
Deputy Speaker, National Assembly of Pakistan
NA-24 D. I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PPPP
 

Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi was elected to the 13th National Assembly of Pakistan in the February 2008 General Election on a PPPP ticket. He was subsequently elected as the 17th Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan on March 19, 2008. As a young, first-time elected MNA at the age of 33, Kundi also has the distinction of being the youngest Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He serves as the Patron of the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF). Born on May 24, 1975 in Dera Ismail Khan, Mr. Kundi graduated with LLB in 2002 from Thames Valley College, UK. Kundi began his political career in 2003 and has served as the Divisional Coordinator of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for D. I. Khan. Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi is married with one daughter.

Dialogue Co-Chair

Honourable Senator S. M. Zafar
Former Federal Minister of Pakistan
Punjab, Pakistan Muslim League-PML
 

Senator S. M. Zafar is one of the most experienced and esteemed constitutional lawyers in the country and has served in many distinguished positions. He was born in 1930 in Rangoon, Burma. He started his career in Law in 1951 after completing his B.A/L.L.B from the University Law College, Lahore. He has served as Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs (1965-1969). He was elected President High Court Bar Association, Lahore in 1975 and as President Supreme Court Bar Association in 1976. He has served as the Chairman Human Right Society of Pakistan and Cultural Association of Pakistan. He has also served as Chairman, Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights and Chairman, Senate Standing Committee on Education. He is member of Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs, Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, Information and Broadcasting, Education, Science and Technology, Law, Justice & Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs. Senator Zafar is also Chairman of PILDAT Board of Advisors.

Senate of Pakistan

Honourable Senator Afrasiab Khattak
Chairman, Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Awami National Party-ANP
 

Senator Afrasiab Khattak hails from Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He is serving as the provincial president of the Awami National Party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Senator Khattak is a former student leader, writer and prominent human rights activist. He has served as the President of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) for a three-year-term. Senator Khattak is also a constitutional expert and advocate Supreme Court.  Senator Khattak currently serves as the Chairman Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights and is a member of Senate Standing Committees on Science and Technology, Petroleum and Natural Resources, Foreign Affairs and Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan and States and Frontier Regions.

Honourable Senator Jehangir Bader
Punjab, Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarian-PPPP
 

Senator Jehangir Bader holds a Master's degree in Commerce from the Punjab University Hailey College Lahore. He also holds Law degree and a Master's degree in Political Science from the Punjab University. He was elected both to the National Assembly as well as the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab in 1988 elections but he vacated the Provincial Assembly seat and opted for the National Legislature. He also held the portfolios of the Ministries of Housing and Works, Science and Technology and Petroleum and Natural Resources as a Federal Minister from 1989 to 1990. He was elected as member of the Senate of Pakistan in March 2009. He is member Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs, Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan, Petroleum and Natural Resources, Law, Justice and Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs, Science and Technology and Sports.

Honourable Senator Dr. Saeeda Iqbal
Islamabad Capital Territory, PPPP
 

Dr. Saeeda Iqbal was born on December 29, 1947 in district Swabi of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She represents Pakistan Peoples Party in the Senate of Pakistan. After studying Masters in Philosophy, she completed a Ph. D in research and was associated with the Ministry of Education from 1973 to 2002 on honorary basis. She has taught courses in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Karachi. She also worked for Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television on the research side. Dr. Saeeda Iqbal joined Pakistan Peoples Party in 2002 as the Secretary General of Party’s Women Wing of the Islamabad District. In 2008, she was elected as a Senator and serves as a member on Senate Standing Committees on Housing and Works, Cabinet Secretariat and Inter Provincial Coordination, Health and Women Development.

National Assembly of Pakistan

Honourable Dr. Ayatullah Durrani, MNA
NA-268, Kalat-cum-Mastung, Balochistan, PPPP
 

Dr. Durrani was elected for the first time as a member of National Assembly of Pakistan in 2008 from the platform of Pakistan Peoples Party. Dr. Ayatullah Durrani has served as Minister of State for Industries and Production, Government of Pakistan from March 2008 to February 2011. He is currently a member of the National Assembly Standing Committees on Petroleum & Natural Resources, Defence Production and Population Welfare. As a PhD in Physics, energy sector is one of his major areas of legislative interest. He is married with three sons. 

Honourable Ms. Anusha Rahman Khan, MNA
NA-288, Punjab-XVI, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
 

Ms. Anusha Rahman Khan is politically affiliated with PML-N and was elected for the first time as a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan in 2008. She serves as member of the National Assembly Standing Committees on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Information Technology and Communication and Science & Technology. She is an elected General Secretary of the Young Parliamentarians Forum of the National Assembly, and a founding member of the Parliamentary Caucus against Corruption. She serves on the Board of Punjab Education Endowment Fund and Government Fatima Jinnah College for Women, Lahore. Ms. Rahman has been Central Vice President of the PML-N’s Lawyer’s Wing, and Deputy Convener, PML-N Legal and Anti Rigging Wing. Ms. Anusha Rahman graduated in Law in 1992 and secured a Masters in Law from University College London, United Kingdom, specializing in Law and Economics of regulated industries, networks and markets. Her legal practice has been in constitutional, corporate and telecommunication law and she has also worked as in-house Corporate Legal Counsel for a multinational mobile telecommunication operator in Pakistan. She has extensively travelled for both leisure and work and represented Pakistan on international forums. Ms. Anusha Rahman regularly writes in national newspapers.

Honourable Mr. Humayun Saifullah Khan, MNA
NA-27 Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PML
 

Mr. Humayun Saifullah Khan is a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He represents PML. He received Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) degree from the University of Peshawar in 1965. Mr. Khan was a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet from 1973 to 1977 and held the portfolio of Communications & Works. He was elected District Nazim of Lakki Marwat. Mr. Khan is a member of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Labour and Manpower, Special Committee of the Parliament on Kashmir and has also served as a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms.

Honourable Mr. Khurram Dastgir Khan, MNA
Chairman, National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce
NA-96, Gujranwala-II, Punjab, PML-N
 

Mr. Khurram Dastgir Khan was born in Gujranwala, Pakistan in 1970 and was educated at St. Joseph’s School and Cadet College Hassan Abdal. He was trained as Electrical Engineer at the California Institute of Technology and holds a degree in Economics from Bowdoin College, both in the United States. He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan on February 18, 2008. He was elected Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce on October 23, 2008. In Parliament, he has led legislative efforts on restructuring Pakistan’s anti-dumping and insurance statutes, regulation of foreign security agencies, empowering the Standing Committees with budgetary approval of ministries and, most recently, reform of high treason law. As Chairman, Khurram has revitalized the Standing Committee that oversees Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry; Under his chairmanship, the Committee has performed vigorous oversight of the executive branch on trade policy, WTO regulations, Afghan Transit Trade, regulation of insurance industry, and integrity of government procurement. Khurram Dastgir Khan is affiliated politically with the principal opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-N, and has been recently elected as Deputy Information Secretary of the PML-N. He has served as Central Joint Secretary during 2006-2009. He has also served previously as Special Assistant to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999. During 1999-2008, he led resistance in Gujranwala against the dictatorial rule of Gen. Pervez Musharraf. He is married and has been blessed with two children.

Honourable Mr. Laiq Muhmmad Khan, MNA
NA-21, Mansehra II, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan (MMAP)
 

Mr. Laiq Muhammad Khan was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan through a bye-election in January 2010.He is politically affiliated with the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan and is the brother of the former Federal Minister, Azam Khan Sawati. Mr. Khan is a member of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Narcotics Control and the Standing Committee on Government Assurances.   

Honourable Dr. Lal Chand, MNA
NA-334, Non-Muslim-II, Sindh
 

Dr. Lal Chand holds a MBBS degree. He is also a businessman. He is the Parliamentary Secretary for Sports in the 13th National Assembly of Pakistan. He is a Member of the Standing Committee on Labor and Manpower, Standing Committee on Social Welfare and Special Education and Member Standing Committee on Minorities.

Honourable Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan, MNA
NA-71, Mianwali-I, Punjab, PPPP
 

Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan was born on March 08, 1973. After completing his studies in Islamabad he joined the Pakistan Army. He passed out from the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul in 1992, and joined 26 Cavalry, an Armoured Corps Regiment. He resigned from the Pakistan Army in 1999 at the rank of Captain. Malik Amad Khan contested for the first time in the 2008 General Elections from home constituency NA-71 Mianwali. He won as an independent candidate and joined the PPPP. He served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from November 2008 to February 2011. Malik Amad Khan is married and has a son and a daughter. He has travelled extensively and has represented Pakistan at several national and international conferences pertaining to Security, International and Regional Cooperation, Development, Racism and Gender related issues.

Honourable Mr. Nadeem Afzal Gondal, MNA
Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges
NA-64 Sargodha-I, Punjab, PPPP
 

Mr. Nadeem Afzal Gondal was born on April 01, 1975 at Gujrat, Punjab. Mr. Gondal started his political career when he was elected as Tehsil Nazim, Malakwal, District Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab. Politically affiliated with Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP), Mr. Gondal was elected as Member National Assembly of Pakistan in General Election 2008. Currently he is Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges, Chairman, Special Committee on Railways and Member, Public Accounts Committee, Member Standing Committee on Food & Agriculture, Member, Standing Committee on Youth Affairs and Member of the Standing Committee on Labour and Manpower. He is married and has two daughters and a son.

Honourable Dr. Nafisa Shah, MNA
Chairperson, National Commission for Human Development
NA-309, Sindh-II, PPPP
 

Dr. Nafisa Shah has a doctorate in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Oxford. She served as Nazim of Khairpur from 2001-2005. She was one of the only two women elected to this position and her exemplary work in the area brought her recognition. She was nominated as the Young Global Leader by the Davos Forum in 2005. She was also one of the 1000 women collectively nominated across the globe for Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She has been a journalist and worked as reporter for the Newsline where she reported extensively on human rights, gender and environment. She was awarded the APNS Award for Best Article of the Year in 1993. She was also named in the UN Global Roll of Honour for her environmental reporting. She has written and presented academic and non-academic papers on gender, human rights and environment. She also serves on several boards of organizations working for cultural and social development. She is the Honorary President of Pakistan Girl Guides Association and the Chairperson of the National Commission for Human Development. She was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan in February 2008. She is a member of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs and Statistics and Standing Committee on Minorities. She is also the Secretary of the informal Parliamentary Caucus on Women.

Honourable Mr. Qamar Zaman Kaira, MNA
NA-106, Gujrat III, Punjab, PPPP
 

Mr. Qamar Zaman Kaira was born on January 5, 1960 in Lalamusa, Punjab. He has served as Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas from March 2008 to February 2011, with additional charge of Information and Broadcasting from March 2009 to February 2011. Currently, he is serving as Information Secretary of PPPP. He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan for his second term in 2008. He holds a Masters degree in Arts (Philosophy) from the University of the Punjab, Lahore. His areas of legislative interest include education, finance and communication.

Honourable Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, MNA
NA-172, D.G. Khan-II, Punjab, PML
 

Mr. Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari was born on March 22, 1971. He studied at the Aitchison College Lahore after which he graduated from the University of Rochester in 1994, with an Honour’s degree in Political Science and Economics. He began his political career and was elected Member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab from the district of Rajanpur at the age of 26 in 1997. He was later elected as MNA in2002 and took oath as a Federal Minister for Information Technology & Telecom. He was presented “Best Telecom Policy of the Year award” at Barcelona by the King of Spain. He was re-elected to the National Assembly after the demise of his late father former President of Pakistan, Mr. Farooq Ahmad Leghari, in a bye election in 2011. Mr. Leghari has a keen interest in the sectors of Agriculture, Health, Education and Human resource development.

Honourable Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, MNA
NA-50, Rawalpindi-I, Punjab, PML-N
 

Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was born on December 27, 1958 in Karachi, Sindh. He is politically affiliated with PML-N. Mr. Abbasi served as Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines from 1997 to 1999. Mr. Abbasi was elected as a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1988, 1990, 1993, and 1997, and recently was returned for his 5th term in 2008. He also served as Federal Minister of Commerce from April to May 2008. A businessman by profession, Mr. Abbasi is Chief Operating Officer of a private airline company Air Blue. He got his early education from Lawrence College, Murree. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, USA. He went on to obtain Masters in Engineering from George Washington University, Washington D.C. USA. He has worked as a professional Engineer in the United States and the Middle East during the 1980s. He is married and has three sons.

Honourable Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, MNA
Deputy Parliamentary Leader Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)
NA-253, Karachi XV, Sindh, MQM
 

Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi was born on February 2, 1969 in Karachi. He is politically affiliated with MQM and serves as Deputy Parliamentary Leader of the MQM in the National Assembly of Pakistan. He is an Engineering Management Consultant by profession and completed his M.Sc. Degree in Applied Chemistry in 1992 from the University of Karachi and M.Sc. Chemical Engineering in 1998 from University of Detroit, USA. He is also a qualified Lead Auditor for ISO9000 and Lead Auditor for ISO 14000 and has attended a wide range of Management Trainings. His areas of legislative interest include Foreign Affairs, Education and Science & Technology. He is a member of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee and the Standing Committee on Rules of Procedures & Privileges. Mr. Rizvi is married and has three daughters and one son.

Parliamentary Staff

Mr. Iftikharullah Babar
Special Secretary
Senate of Pakistan
 

Mr. Iftikharullah Babar is serving as Special Secretary at the Senate of Pakistan and is currently heading the Committee wing and the Research Wing of the Senate. He is also the Chief Editor of the quarterly “Senate News”. Moreover, he is serving as Secretary of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit Baltistan as well the Standing Committee on Defence & Defence Production. Mr. Babar holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Peshawar. He is also a graduate of the International School of Social Studies (ISS) in Hague, Netherlands with a Master’s degree in Development Studies. Mr. Babar has been working with the Senate for the last 20 years. During this period, he has written on a number of wide ranging topics, including the Eighth Constitutional Amendment, the Parliamentary Committee System in Pakistan, the Eighteenth Constitutional Amendment and Electoral Reforms in Pakistan.

Mr. Moosa Raza Effendi
Additional Secretary, Public Accounts Committee
National Assembly of Pakistan
 

Mr. Moosa Raza Effendi is serving as Additional Secretary of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the National Assembly of Pakistan. He joined the Civil Services of Pakistan in 1977 and has served in various Ministries including Culture, Tourism & Youth Affairs; Information & Broadcasting; Health; Railways; Housing & Works; Petroleum & Natural Resources and Commerce. Mr. Effendi has also served as a Commercial Secretary in the Embassy of Pakistan, Baghdad, Iraq from November 1988 to September 1992. He has also served as the Deputy Secretary of the Establishment Division. He has also served as the Director, Federal Bureau of Statistics; Director General, Pakistan Manpower Institute and Director General Pakistan Publication & Research Centre. Mr. Effendi is also the author of the book “Effendi kay Mazameen”, which was published in 1994.

Rapporteur

Ambassador (Retd.) Khalid Mehmood
Former Director General, Foreign Minister’s Office
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan
 

Mr. Khalid Mehmood, former Ambassador of Pakistan, holds Master’s degrees from Government College, Lahore and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has taught Development Economics at the Government College, Lahore and the Punjab University. He is currently working on a book with the former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Khurshid M. Kasuri on the Foreign Policy of Pakistan during 2002-2007.

As a career diplomat, Khalid Mehmood has worked in a number of Pakistani missions abroad including Paris, Brussels, and Ankara. He served in Paris again as the Deputy Chief of the Mission. He was the Ambassador of Pakistan in Oman, Poland and Czech Republic. He also represented Pakistan at a number of international conferences, including those held under the auspices of the United Nations, Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

He has delivered lectures at various prestigious institutions in Pakistan and abroad including at the National Defence University at Islamabad, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), National School of Public Policy at Lahore, the Dedham Rotary Club in the Boston Area, the Omani Diplomatic Academy at Muscat, the College of Europe at Warsaw, the European Policy Centre at Brussels and the Institute Francais des Relations Internationales (IFRI) at Paris.

PILDAT Team

Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob
Executive Director, PILDAT
 

The founder Executive Director of PILDAT, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob has over 20 years’ experience in senior management and advisory positions and over 10 years experience in design, planning and implementation of legislative strengthening projects involving national and provincial legislatures. His major area of work has been in the forefront of strengthening democracy and democratic institutions and providing thorough leadership on crucial issues that affect democracy, governance and political growth in the country. Mr. Mehboob has carved and spearheaded a non partisan political research initiative from the platform of PILDAT, an independent, non-partisan think tank of Pakistan. He is respected widely as an analyst on political, governance-related and legislative issues. Mr. Mehboob holds a B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Engineering & Technology Lahore, Pakistan. As an engineer, he has served outside Pakistan in the Middle East and USA. As a student activist, Mr. Mehboob was elected as President, Engineering University Students Union from 1971-1972 and also served as Chairman, Lahore Students Council in 1972. Mr. Mehboob was born on October 28, 1952. He is married and has been blessed with 1 daughter and 3 sons.

Ms. Aasiya Riaz
Joint Director, PILDAT
 

Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director of PILDAT, coordinates various research projects within PILDAT and manages PILDAT’s projects and activities as PILDAT's co-director. She has over 10 years’ experience of working in the field of research, management and analysis. She has been working in the areas of democratic and legislative strengthening; research on political and public policy issues; civil-military relations; dialogues between the Muslim World and the West and Electoral Process, etc. Trained in the field of media and political communication at the London School of Economics, UK, Aasiya has worked with the mainstream press and electronic media in Pakistan as well. She was also a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy, USA where she worked on US Think Tanks and the subject of Civil-Military Relations. Aasiya also graduated from the Stanford University, USA Course on Democracy, Development and Rule of Law in August 2007. She regularly appears on national and international media for political analysis and commentaries. Ms. Aasiya Riaz is also hosting a current affairs program at Dawn News TV.

Mr. Hammal Dostain
Projects Manager, PILDAT
 

Hammal Dostain has been associated with PILDAT as a Program Officer for over 5 years. He holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration. His background of management and marketing provide him with a competitive edge for management and coordination of a variety of PILDAT initiatives including PILDAT projects and Programs, international and regional conferences, briefing sessions for Parliamentarians and policymakers, etc. Hammal has extensive experience of coordinating with the national and international legislators and policy makers, media and national, regional and international government and non-government institutions. In order to understand how the British Political System works and how citizens, especially, media, youth and civil society organizations hold the government to account in UK, Hmmal organized and participated in a Study Visit for Youth Parliament Pakistan to UK in July 2009 as Project Manager. Hammal also visited Afghanistan along with Pakistani Parliamentary delegations to organize joint workshop and Dialogues of Pakistani and Afghan Parliamentarians in 2008 and 2011 Hammal is fluent in Balochi, Brahvi, Persian, Dari, and Pashto apart from Urdu and English.

Ms. Wajiha Kanwal
Projects Manager, PILDAT
 

Wajiha Kanwal has been associated with PILDAT as a Projects Manager for over 3 years. She holds a Masters Degree in Biological Sciences. She has expertise in management and coordination of a variety of PILDAT initiatives including international and regional conferences, briefing sessions for national and international Parliamentarians and policymakers, workshops, roundtables and Youth Parliament Pakistan project, etc. Ms. Kanwal has extensive experience of coordinating with national and international legislators and policy makers, media and national, regional and international government and non-government institutions as part of PILDAT Team. In order to understand how the American Political and Electoral System works, Ms. Kanwal was selected to be part of a Legislative Fellowship Programme in 2010 organized by the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL). Prior to joining PILDAT, Ms. Wajiha Kanwal has worked with Internews Pakistan, an international media development organization and an Islamabad-based FM channel. Ms. Wajiha Kanwal has written documentary scripts for Pakistan Television Network. She is fluent in Punjabi, Urdu and English.