RASTA – PIDE & Planning Commission Competitive Research Grants

Competitive Grants Programme for Policy-oriented Research

Pakistan Institute of Development Economics

Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives

CGP

Challenges and Opportunities for the Fresh Fruit Supply Chain in District Chitral

Project Brief: The fresh fruit supply chain in Chitral faces several interrelated challenges that hinder its efficiency, profitability, and contribution to local economic development. Despite having favorable agro-climatic conditions for fruit cultivation, this sector remains underdeveloped due to systemic inefficiencies, weak institutional coordination, and inadequate infrastructure, particularly in post-harvest handling and cold chain logistics. These […]

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Mitigating Climate Change Impacts on Pregnancy Outcomes and Newborn Health in Pakistan

Project Brief: We aim to conduct mixed-methods research to facilitate evidence-based policy-making for mitigating the impacts of rising ambient temperatures and recurring floods on pregnancy outcomes and newborn survival in rural Pakistan. Our proposed study is quasi-experimental and will evaluate the Enhanced Antenatal Care (EANC) guidelines to address the effects of heat and floods on

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Optimising School Performance for Hearing-Impaired Students in Bahawalpur and Multan

Project Brief: This research project aims to enhance the academic performance of students with hearing impairments in Southern Punjab by integrating Entrepreneurial Education and Total Quality Management (TQM) into special education. Entrepreneurial education fosters creativity, confidence, and problem-solving skills among students, while TQM encourages continuous improvement in teaching practices, school management, and student outcomes. Additionally,

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Evaluating the Higher Education in Pakistan: An Appraisal of Research Publication Landscape

Project Brief: In 2002, Pakistan launched an ambitious higher education reform program, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in various initiatives such as faculty development, the establishment of universities, funding for research projects, operationalizing national centers, and launching incubation programs. We propose the first rigorous qualitative evaluation of Pakistan’s research publication landscape. Every year, Pakistani

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Analyzing Sector-Specific Flows of Fixed Investment and Measuring Stock of Physical Capital in Pakistan

Team Details: Principal Investigator Mr. Attiq-ur-Rehman Deputy Director General Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Co-PI Dr. Liaqat Ali Chief Statistical Officer Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Research Associate Mr. Muneeb-ur-Rehman Statistical Assistant Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Research Associate Mr. Aamir Bilal Statistical Assistant Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Project Brief: This research project will analyze trends in both

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Assessing the Effectiveness of IT Skills Development Programs in Promoting Digital Skills Among Youth in Balochistan

Team Details: Principal Investigator Dr Abdul Samad kakar Assistant Professor University of Loralai Co-PI Dr Shahji Ahmed Assistant Professor University of Loralai Co-PI Dr Fazal Hayat Lecturer University of Loralai Co-PI Mr Bakht Noor Assistant Professor University of Loralai Project Brief: This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of federally and provincially sponsored IT skills

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Mitigating Air Pollution and Urban Heat through Climate-Sensitive Health Interventions

Team Details: Principal Investigator Dr. Muhammad Nasar-u-Minallah Associate Professor University of the Punjab, Lahore Co-PI Dr. Sahar Zia Assistant Professor Lahore College for Women University, Lahore Co-PI Shiza Ashiq Independent Researcher  Gojra, Pakistan Research Associate Masooma Zanaib Freelancer Lahore Project Brief: Increasing air pollution and local temperature are exposing cities and their residents to urban

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Tax Compliance, Tax Behavior and Tax Misperception: Evidence from Faisalabad

Team Details: Principal Investigator Dr. Imran Qaiser Assistant Professor (Economics) Government College University Faisalabad Co-PI Sahrish Saeed Freelancer Government College University Faisalabad Project Brief: Pakistan faces significant economic challenges, including a high current account deficit, fiscal deficit, and elevated levels of public debt. These issues contribute to volatile exchange rates and economic uncertainty. A considerable

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Graduates’ Low Employability in Pakistan: Modelling Demand for Marketable Knowledge and Skills

Team Details: Principal Investigator Dr Ajaz Ahmed Research Associate Glasgow University, UK Co-PI Dr David Palma Lecturer in Business Analytics and Applied AI University of Leeds, UK Project Brief: Pakistan faces a significant issue with low graduate employability, as data indicates that over 30% of higher education (HE) graduates were unemployed in 2022. This is

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From “Disable” to “Gigable”: Leveraging Gig-Platforms for Inclusivity and Well-being of People with Disability

Team Details: Principal Investigator  Dr. Nasir Mehmood Associate Professor University of Wah   Co-PI Dr. Kamil Hussain Assistant Professor University of Wah   Co-PI Dr. Atif Raza Assistant Professor Muslim Youth University, Pakistan   Co-PI Ms. Sarah Khan Director Media Publications University of Wah   Project Brief: This study investigates how the gig economy can

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