ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Friday hosted a delegation from the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN) for an interactive session aimed at fostering collaboration in research, policy dialogue and institutional development.
The session was led by Dr Shujaat Farooq, Dean of Research at PIDE, who welcomed the participants and highlighted PIDE’s legacy as Pakistan’s premier economic think tank and the policy research arm of the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, a news release said.
Established in 1957, PIDE continues to guide national policy-making through evidence-based insights and innovative economic research.
Ranked as Pakistan’s number-1 economic think tank and among the top 10 in Asia, PIDE has evolved into a hub of intellectual leadership driving national reform through its five-fold institutional strategy—Research, Engagement, Academia, Counsel, and Hub.
Dr Shujaat emphasized that strong research ecosystems are essential for national prosperity, noting that Pakistan invests only 0.16% of GDP in R&D, compared to the global average of 2.27%.
He underscored that locally grounded, demand-based research—rather than externally driven consulting—must shape Pakistan’s development trajectory.
The session also showcased PIDE’s flagship initiatives, including RASTA (Research for Social Transformation and Advancement), Pakistan’s largest competitive research grants program bridging the research–policy gap; the Pakistan Society of Development Economists (PSDE), the country’s only professional body of economists leading policy dialogue since 1982; and the Executive Development Centre (EDC), which offers professional training to strengthen policymaking capacity across institutions.
During question-answer session, PUAN members engaged PIDE researchers on research grant mechanisms, local policy priorities, and institutional reform.
The discussion also addressed key challenges in Pakistan’s energy and extractive sectors, including policy inconsistency, lack of decentralization, and the absence of a coherent fiscal regime for mineral development.
Dr Shujaat acknowledged these structural gaps and emphasized that collaboration across institutions is vital for coherent and evidence-based policymaking.
Both sides agreed to explore future partnerships to promote policy literacy, joint studies, and youth engagement under the PUAN–PIDE collaboration framework.
The visit concluded with a shared commitment to continue dialogue and develop initiatives that connect research with reform.
Dr Shujaat thanked the PUAN delegation for their visit and reaffirmed PIDE’s mission to strengthen Pakistan’s development narrative through knowledge-driven, inclusive, and context-aware policy-making.
