Biography

My professional experience at highest levels of policy helped me realize the influential role of de-facto power dynamics and informal institutions in shaping development outcomes, especially in fragile contexts. This spurred my interest in comparative politics of development. In my PhD, I seek to understand the political economy of sub-national state capacity through a comparative study of education policy in two Pakistani provinces: Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Despite a common history and social composition, these provinces exhibit differing capacities for improving education outcomes. Through a 'political settlement analysis,' I aim to unravel the drivers behind this variation.My interest in sub-national state effectiveness stems from my upbringing in a remote village along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, where conflict and state fragility were pervasive. While my academic journey—from Government College University Lahore to the University of Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship—enabled me to escape the fragility trap, many others remain ensnared.I eagerly anticipate joining the Gates community & leveraging its diverse network to bridge the gap between academia, policy and media. I enjoy cricket, hiking and evening walks

Previous Education

University of Oxford Governance & Development 2015
University of Oxford Public Policy 2014