Muhammad Amir Rana is a security and political analyst and the director of Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). He has worked extensively on issues related to counter-terrorism, counter-extremism, and internal and regional security and politics. He was a founder member of PIPS when it was launched in January 2006 and had previously worked as a journalist with various Urdu and English daily newspapers from 1996 until 2004. He has given lectures at several universities and security institutes in Pakistan and abroad. Amir has published widely in national and international journals, professional publications and magazines. He writes regularly for Dawn, Pakistan’s leading English newspaper. He is also the editor of Pakistan Annual Security Report, and PIPS research journal ‘Conflict and Peace Studies’.
Safdar Hussain, nom de plume Safdar Sial, has been working with the Pak Institute for Peace Studies as a research analyst since March 2007. He holds a master’s degree in political science. His work focuses on conflict, insecurity, and violence in Pakistan and Afghanistan; regional political, strategic and security issues; and media and governance. He has published extensively in national and international journals and is a co-author of Dynamics of Taliban Insurgency in FATA, and Radicalization in Pakistan and editor of Critical Ideologies: A Debate on Takfeer and Khurooj. He is also associate editor of PIPS research journal ‘Conflict and Peace Studies.’
Ahmed Ali
ahmad@pakpips.com
Project Manager
Ahmed Ali is project manager at Pak Institute for Peace Studies. He studied political science at the University of Karachi. His research interests include security and conflict as well as religious minorities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ahmed Ali has authored reports on issues of terrorism and extremism. Previously, he served in the Pakistan civil service.
Osama Ahmad
Osama@pakpips.com
Field Researcher and Data Analyst
Osama Ahmad is a Field Researcher and Data Analyst at PIPS. He is a graduate in political science from the University of Peshawar. He conducts field research, analyzes data, and contributes to writing and editing of reports and research articles. Fomerly, he served as a Program Officer at PIPS. Besides this, he is a freelance journalist and writes for The Jamestown Foundation, South Asian Voices, FairPlanet, The Express Tribune, The News on Sunday, and The Friday Times.
Hazrat Bilal
bilal@pakpips.com
IT Manager
In-charge of IT section, Hazrat Bilal looks after IT and technical planning, logistics, and implementation for PIPS projects. He also supervises the organization’s digital database on ‘Conflict & Security’. The designing works are also undertaken by Bilal.
Abdul Qayyum
qayyum@pakpips.com
Admin & Finance Manager
Abdul Qayyum has been working with Pak Institute for Peace Studies since 2020 as Admin & Finance Manager . He holds master degrees in commerce and economics. Previously he worked as Manager Finance and Administration with Punjab Commission on the Status of Women-PCSW, Govt. of the Punjab. His areas of expertise are financial management and administration.
Ayesha Zaid
ayesha@pakpips.com
Monitoring and Evaluation officer
Ayesha has done her graduation in Anthropology from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. She is a fresh graduate who is interested in exploring behavioural diversity of humans and moral relativism. Besides this, she also has an experience of writing comprehensive reports, thoughtful research excerpts and interesting academic articles.
Abdul Ahad Butt
ahad@pakpips.com
Technical Coordinator
Abdul Ahad Butt assists in the routine works of the Finance Section and also extends technical support to PIPS IT operations.