Board of Directors

Dr. Shahida Jaffery is the Chairperson of the Institute of Rural Management and the founder of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University (SBKWU) in Quetta, Baluchistan. She holds a PhD in Education from the University of the Philippines. She served as the first female Chief Executive Officer of the Baluchistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) and has been involved in search committees for university Vice Chancellor appointments. Dr. Jaffery has held leadership positions in organizations like the All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA) and Behbud Baluchistan, working for underprivileged women and children. She received the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz award and was nominated for various honors, including the Magsaysay Award. Currently, she serves as a Director and Advisor to the boards of several rural support programs.

Mr. Shoaib Sultan Khan has served as a member of the Civil Service of Pakistan in different positions from 1955 till 1978. Later he joined UN and served as Social Development consultant of UNICEF in Sri Lanka (1979-82) and as Senior Adviser, South Asia Poverty Alleviation Programme (SAPAP) of UNDP (1994-2002). pursued academic studies at Universities of Lucknow, Cambridge, and Peshawar studying English Literature, Law and Public Administration. After his retirement from UN, Mr. Khan has been associated, in an honorary capacity, with Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN), Institute of Rural Management (IRM) & other RSPs in Pakistan to date.
In 1982, Shoaib Sultan Khan initiated the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) making a difference to the livelihood of a million people in the Northern Areas and Chitral (NAC) district of Pakistan. The development strategy pursued by AKRSP inspired replications in Pakistan and India currently improving livelihood of over 40 million rural households comprising nearly 200 million populations.
In recognition of his contributions, Mr. Khan was awarded various awards including, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the Magsaysay Award, the World Conservation Medal, Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Lifetime achievements award by His Highness the Aga Khan and many more.

Mr. Nazar Memon holds an MA in Regional Planning from Clark University, USA, and has obtained diplomas in Comprehensive Regional Planning from the United Nations Center for Regional Development, Japan, and in District Health Planning from the Institute of Child Health, London, UK. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) until 2008. As a Consultant for Capacity Building at the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), he contributed to the capacity building of elected representatives and government officials during the Devolution process in Pakistan, including the final draft of the Local Government Ordinance 2000. Mr. Memon has worked with UNICEF, focusing on social planning for women and children. He has also been involved in area-based development programs in Tanzania and Uganda. In his role as Head of Area Services in Kenya and South Africa, he played a part in programming, planning, implementing, and monitoring community-based projects in collaboration with local communities.

Mr. Fazalullah Qureshi  holds MA Economics from the Sindh University and a Certificate in Development Economics from Glasgow University UK. He has completed Fellowship in Development Economics from World Bank’s Economic Development Institute (EDI) Washington. Mr. Qureshi was appointed as the Vice Chairman National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) in 2001 and has served as the Federal Secretary Planning & Development twice. He was also the Chairman of National Tariff Commission in 1999. He is an active BOD Member of various organizations including Sindh Rural Support Organization, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, Rural Support Programme Network, NRSP Microfinance bank, National Rural Support Program and Sindh Graduate Association. He is also a Member of Trust for Voluntary Organization.

Dr. Rashid Bajwa is leading one of the largest development programme: National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) in Pakistan. He holds an MPH degree from the UK and an MBBS from Pakistan. He has extensive experience in the fields of management, social mobilisation, community development, microfinance and policy. Dr. Bajwa is implementing one of the largest microfinance programmes in Pakistan. He has helped in setting up Khushaali Bank, while also providing guidance to other non-profits Director of Khushaal Pakistan Fund, Punjab Rural Support Programme, Sindh Rural Support Organisation, Ghazi Barotha Tarqiati Idara  and Rural Support Programmes Network.

Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam holds a PhD in Politics and International Relations, an LLM degree in Human Rights Law from SOAS, UK, and an LLB and master’s degree in Philosophy.
He shares his understanding and research regularly at various training institutes and public forums, as well as in print and electronic media. He is the author of several publications both nationally and internationally. A 33-year career of exemplary service characterized his career. A former police officer and Federal Secretary of the Narcotics Control Ministry, he is a civil servant with extensive experience in the field. His national experience includes serving as SSP in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Sibi and Nasirabad; Additional Director Immigration, Chief Security Officer to the Prime Minister, Deputy Director General, Intelligence Bureau, Director of National Public Safety Commission; Inspector General Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, and National Highways and Motorways twice. During his time with the United Nations, he served as Chief of Operations in Mozambique, Planning Coordinator in Liberia, and UN Police Commissioner in Darfur, Sudan. He has been decorated with three UN peace medals, the Quaid Azam Police Medal, the President’s Police Medal, and the Tamagha-i-Imtiaz for national distinguished service. He is well-known as an academic, a practicing lawyer, a security analyst, a strategist, and a policy practitioner.

Ms. Shandana Khan, CEO of Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN). She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Cambridge and a Masters in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Khan possesses extensive experience in rural development, spanning grassroots to policy levels. Her expertise lies in project management, design, and social assessment. She actively engages in policy advocacy with donors, government bodies, and institutions. She has made strategic contributions to poverty reduction strategies, local governance ordinances, gender mainstreaming policies, and social mobilization initiatives. Ms. Khan emphasizes meaningful partnerships between marginalized communities, the government, and the private sector. As a strong team player and leader, Ms. Khan manages a diverse team of over 100 professionals at RSPN. With her multicultural exposure and fluency in English, Urdu, and Pushto, she is comfortable operating in diverse settings.

Mr. Mukhtar served on multiple committees that drafted the Punjab RTI law and Whistle-Blowers Protection Bill; Has served in the government as Information Commissioner (Punjab) as well as on the Federal Tax Ombudsman’s Advisory Committee; M. Phil degree in Development Studies (with distinction) from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, UK; Over 18 years of work experience in Pakistan in areas like elections, local governments, capacity building, empowering the excluded groups, youth development, right to information, democratic development, legislative oversight, budget tracking, governance, decentralization, police reforms and consumer protection. Board members of the Institute of Rural Management (IRM) and Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI); Visiting faculty member of, among others, the National Institute of Management (NIM), Lahore; NIM, Quetta; and National Management College (NMC), Lahore

Mr. Nadeem Akbar is Country Director of the American Institute of Pakistan Studies (a bi-national academic and research institution) at Islamabad. He is a former Fulbright fellow and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. He has over 20 years of work experience in the field of research and educational exchange management. Being Director of the Institute, he administers and promotes exchange of scholarship, organizing policy forums and facilitating collaborative programs between US and Pakistani institutions of higher learning. In addition, he has to his credit a thorough knowledge of management issues of not-for-profit programs and partnerships. He maintains an active network of scholars and professionals in over 32 American universities and institutions and is a key player in formalizing joint research projects for US and Pakistani academic community.

Dr. Noor Fatima is a Post-doctorate Fellow at Department of International Affairs,(Public Policy, Political economy of Terrorism) University of North Carolina, Wilmington, United States. She holds a PhD(Major Developmental Economics, Political Economy).

Previously she had been working as Chairperson of Department of International Relations and Political Science till June 2017 and presently She is working as Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, International Islamic University Islamabad. Her major interest areas are research in Public Policy and International Political Economy.

Dr. Roomi Saeed Hayat is Chief Executive Officer Institute of Rural Management. He holds multiple degrees including a Master’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA. He has also completed a diploma from Harvard University, USA. Doctorate in Anthropology. Dr. Hayat possesses 38 years of experience working in the Government and Non-Government sectors of Pakistan and his areas of expertise include rural development, women empowerment, environment and poverty reduction. He has served as advisor on International assignments for various bilateral and UN agencies.
Dr. Hayat is Chairman of IUCN Pakistan National Committee, he is the founding Chairman of an international think tank Human Resource Development Network (HRDN). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN).
Dr. Hayat specializes in livelihoods and poverty reduction with strong expertise in fostering Community Based Organizations, developing need based innovative livelihoods programmes, and formulating short cycle employable vocational and technical skills training. He has designed and conducted over 500 short- and long-term training programmes in more than 20 countries and has extensive multi-disciplinary experience of managing and executing donor funded projects including UNDP, ILO, USAID and World Bank with a special focus on livelihoods, rural development with gender as a cross cutting theme.