Zahid Mahmood ^(Enrolled)

is a PhD Scholar at Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Management and Technology, Lahore. He did his M.Phil in political Science from UMT and completed his research work under the supervision of Dr. Gull.i.Hina . His research was focused on ‘Clientelism’ and role of political Agents (representatives) in service delivery. The purpose of the study was to investigate different patterns of Clientelism in rural and urban areas (especially South Punjab) for which District Bahawalpur was taken as case study. Further, the research was also focused on exploring and finding the nature of clientelistic networks, their effect on service delivery and their role in diverting public resources towards selective groups.

His Ph.D research under the supervision of Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Pervaiz is focused on the relations between powerful and weaker states within the framework of patron client state relations. The main argument of the study is that there exists a unique pattern of dyadic relations amongst weak/client state and their powerful/patron states and this results into contrasting strategies between patron and clients. The study is focused on explaining that how and why contrasting patterns emerge while dealing with a single client (Pakistan)? Under the framework of patron client state relations.

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Syed Wajeeh Ul Hassan ^(Enrolled)

is a PhD IR Scholar at the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Management and Technology, Lahore. His PhD dissertation is titled 'Decolonial Turn in International Relations: Perceptions, Perspectives and Possibilities in Pakistan', for which Dr Fatima Waqi Sajjad, Associate Professor DPSIR and Director Center for Critical Peace Studies (CCPS) at UMT, Lahore, is supervising him. He did his MPhil in Strategic Security Management from National Defence University, Islamabad, in 2018. Earlier, he did his Master in Politics and Policy from Deakin University Australia in 2015 and a Master of Arts in Defence Studies from Kings College London in 2006.

During his PhD Coursework, he was part of the team that presented a research project during the All Pakistan Online Education Summit (APOES 2.0). The project revolved around the idea of transition to online education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected students' perceptions. He also presented a research paper titled 'Genesis of Decolonial Approach' at the Virtual International Conference on 'Emerging Trends in the Arts and Humanities' collectively organized by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Punjab New Campus, Lahore, in June 2021. He also presented his paper 'Decolonial Perspectives: International Relations (IR) Curriculum in Pakistan' during the International Extramural themed: Decolonial Perspectives: Reclaiming our rights as People from the Global South held on October 27, 2021, at UP Cebu Lahug Campus, Cebu City Philippines. 

His research interests include Maritime Security, Indo-Pacific Region, Epistemic Violence and Coloniality.

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Farrukh Ahmad Awan ^(Enrolled)

is a Ph.D. – IR Research student at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at UMT, Lahore. He is presently working on his doctoral thesis entitled, “ Pakistan-Africa Relations in the Post-Cold War Era: Opportunities and Challenges (1990-2020)” under the supervision of Dr. Arshad Ali, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Management and Technology, Lahore.
After Graduation from Government College University Lahore (GCU), he has done his  Masters in Defense and Strategic Studies and MPhil in Defense and Strategic Studies in 1995 and 2003 from Quaid­e­Azam University Islamabad. He has diversified kinds of understanding of various strata of academia; therefore, like GCU and  QAU, UMT is also his alma mater. He also gained MS in Project Management in the year 2020 from UMT. He has recently completed an Online Course in Peace and Conflict Studies from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

His research areas include; Theoretical Debates of International Relations, National/ International Security, Foreign Policy Analysis, Digital Diplomacy and Peace and Coinflict Studies.
He has presented a Conference Paper On “Transition to Online Education in Universities during COVID-19: Assessing the Learners’ Perception of UMT Students” in  All Pakistan Online Education Summit 2.0. in October 2020.
He is a PCS officer and currently, he is working in the Co-operatives Department, Government of the Punjab, Lahore.

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Sundus Basharat^(Enrolled)

is a PhD – IR Research Scholar at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at UMT, Lahore. She has done her  Masters in Defense and Strategic Studies from Quaid­e­Azam University Islamabad in 2008. At the age of 25, she completed her MPhil with a 3.88 CGPA and a distinction in dissertation from National Defence University Islamabad in 2011. She started her career as an “Information Analyst” at an American Multinational Company, “Global Rescue.” She has worked in various think tanks like; the Institute of Policy Studies Islamabad and JFK Institute of Technology and Management. She has taught in several educational institutions; Aitchison College Lahore, Minhaj ul Quran University and the University of Sargodha.

She has recently completed an online course in Peace and Conflict Studies from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. In 2013, she obtained a Diploma Certification in Democratic Development from the Stanford University of California. Her research areas include; International Relations, Conflict Resolution, Media Narratives, International Organizations in less developed countries, Peacebuilding mechanisms and Psycho-Social, and philosophical/ metatheoretical aspects of Various phenomena.

She has presented the following papers

1. Paper Presented on “ Media and Peacebuilding between India- Pakistan: A case of Kartarpur Corridor” in Emerging Trends in Arts and Humanities at the University of Punjab in June 2021 and in International Media Conference at Karachi University in February 2022.
2. Paper Presented On “Transition to Online Education in Universities during COVID-19: Assessing the Learners’ Perception of UMT Students” in  All Pakistan Online Education Summit 2.0. in October 2020.
3. Paper Presented On “Paradigm Shift In International     Relations   Theory? Lessons Learnt From Covid-19” in  All Pakistan Online Education Summit in May 2020.

Currently, she is based in Karachi and is working on her doctoral thesis under the supervision of Dr Fatima Waqi Sajjad, Associate Professor, DPSIR, UMT, Lahore. Her doctoral thesis focuses on the role of media in peace and war in the context of India and Pakistan. Her dissertation will try to examine how print and electronic media became active agents of war or peace promotors in the case of the Indo-Pak contestation. The research is essential as it will signify the prospects of peace through media to avoid any catastrophic event in the future and build an atmosphere of peace and mutual coexistence in the region.

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Tayyaba Jaffery^(Graduated)

is a PhD Scholar at Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Management and Technology, Lahore. Her research interests include conflict and peace studies, peace education, regional studies related to Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific and Africa, and the relationship between religion and politics. Her PhD dissertation focuses on US-India Strategic Partnership and its Implications for China in the Indo-Pacific, with a special mention of the QUAD complex. Under the supervision of Dr. Mohammad Shoaib Pervez, her thesis revolves around the exploration of US-India partnership dynamics from 2007 to 2020 and how it has effected China’s position in the Indo-Pacific. It also intends to highlight the responsive strategies adopted by China during the course of time. Theoretically, this study offers an amalgamation of Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT) and Balance of Threat (BOT) Framework. The BOT is used to establish China as a threat as well as the balancing/hedging strategies adopted by India and US in response to this threat. One of the major initiatives taken in this regard is the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) i.e. an initiative launched by four major democratic powers of the Indo-Pacific (India, US, Australia and Japan). The study discusses the possibilities of how this QUAD can emerge as a regional security complex sans China. Moreover, this study offers an added value by creating a link between heterarchy and RSCT whereby this relationship offers a diffusion of power logic within the region. Put simply, if the QUAD emerges as a regional security complex then its power would be defined in terms of non-polarity i.e. there would be no defined poles of power in the Indo-Pacific.
She has also presented a research project along with her other PhD colleagues during the All Pakistan Online Education Summit (APOES 2.0). The project revolved around the idea of transition to online education in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected the perception of students. Moreover, she is currently working on two research articles which are in the pipeline for onward submission to well-reputed international journals for publication.

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