IPS and School of Advocacy and Research explore collaboration in research, law, and institutional development
The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, hosted a meeting with a delegation from the School of Advocacy and Research (SAR) to explore opportunities for institutional collaboration in research, legal scholarship, policy engagement, and capacity building.
The June 19 meeting served as an introductory engagement between the two institutions, providing an opportunity to exchange institutional profiles, discuss areas of mutual interest, and identify avenues for long-term cooperation. It also built on IPS’s longstanding association with Advocate Supreme Court Qaisar Imam, who has been associated with various IPS activities over the years and has frequently contributed as a resource person, particularly during his tenure as president of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association.
Representing IPS were Chairman Khalid Rahman, Head of Operations Shafaq Sarfaraz, Research Fellow Syed Nadeem Farhat, Senior Research Officer Asim Ehsan, and Research Assistant Bassil Ahmed Qureshi. The SAR delegation included Qaisar Imam, Senior Partner at Juwayni and Hawkins Law Firm; Shujaullah, Managing Director of SAR; Auf Abdur Rahman, Director Projects; Zoon Fatima, Head of Research and Development; Fauzia Saif; and Javeria Haider, Senior Research Associate.
The IPS team presented an overview of the institute’s history, research model, and thematic areas of work, highlighting its contributions to policy research since its establishment in 1979 by Professor Khurshid Ahmad. The delegation was also introduced to IPS’s publishing initiatives, including its peer-reviewed journal Policy Perspectives, policy briefs, and collaborative research methodology.
The SAR team shared its institutional vision of strengthening Pakistan’s legal profession through structured research, advocacy, professional training, and community engagement. Participants were briefed on SAR’s key initiatives, including the Helping Souls pro bono legal platform, the Islamabad Centre for Dispute Resolution, and its research and development wing, which focuses on identifying legislative gaps and supporting legal reform.
The meeting also explored prospects for collaboration in legal and policy research, legislative studies, dispute resolution, academic networking, publications, and professional training. Both institutions expressed their commitment to fostering closer engagement between researchers, legal practitioners, and academic institutions to promote evidence-based policymaking and strengthen legal scholarship.
As an initial outcome, both sides agreed to establish a joint operational task force comprising their representatives to coordinate collaborative initiatives. The institutions also agreed in principle to work towards a special issue of Policy Perspectives on law and legislation, while exploring future cooperation in areas such as family law, Islamic finance legislation, environmental law, dispute resolution, and the Sustainable Society project.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to developing a long-term institutional partnership that brings together the strengths of both organizations in research, legal practice, and public policy. The collaboration is expected to contribute to informed public discourse, legislative development, and capacity building through joint academic and professional initiatives.
