A team of trainees from the National Defense University in Islamabad, Pakistan, visited the Policy Research Institute
Policy Research Institute, Narayanhiti, Kathmandu
The Policy Research Institute recently welcomed a team of trainees from the National Defense University in Islamabad, Pakistan, as part of their study tour to various countries, including Nepal.
Dr. Khaga Nath Adhikari, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Foreign Policy and Strategic Affairs within the Policy Research Institute, facilitated the program. During his welcome address, Mr. Laxman Bhattarai, the institute’s Office Manager, recalled a visit from a Pakistani bureaucratic team in May 2024 and expressed optimism about further enhancing bilateral relations between Nepal and Pakistan through collaborative research and development initiatives.
Dr. Adhikari provided a thorough overview of the Policy Research Institute, detailing its organizational structure, functions, and its role in policy analysis and research. He also discussed Nepal’s foreign policy, national security, and defense strategies.
Following the presentation, participants engaged in a Q&A session, raising a variety of questions concerning the institute’s policy research agenda, its involvement in the government’s annual policies and programs, methods of assessing policy impact, and specific queries related to Nepal’s foreign policy and policies for Gen-Z, among other topics. Research fellows at the institute addressed these questions, offering valuable insights and opinions.
A significant cultural connection between the two countries was also highlighted during the discussions. It was noted that Pakistan’s renowned poets and artists, including Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Jaun Elia, Mehdi Hassan, and Ghulam Ali, are widely admired in Nepal for their contributions to music, poetry, and television.
The members of the Pakistani team expressed their appreciation for the information shared about the Policy Research Institute’s role as a government think tank and its contributions to policymaking. They expressed hopes that academic, economic, and cultural exchanges between Nepal and Pakistan will continue to strengthen in the future.
PARTICIPATION
Pakistani delegates
Qamar Abbas Khokar (Deputy High Commissioner)
Saad Mansoor Ansari (Air Commodore)
Mohammad Irfan (Commodore)
Safiq-Ur-Rehman (Commodore)
Abdul Rehman Makky (Lieutenant Colonel)
Liaqat Ali (Lieutenant Colonel)
Kaleem Ullah (Lieutenant Colonel)
Muhammad Azhar Manzoor (Lieutenant Colonel)
Monib Riaz (Lieutenant Colonel)
Muhammad Bilal Ahmed Khan (Wing Commander)
Muhammad Yasir Jan Baloch
William Love (Army, USA)
Policy Research Institute
Laxman Prasad Bhattarai (Office Manager)
Dr. Deepak Kumar Khadka (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Hari Sharma Neupane (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Khaga Nath Adhikari (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Mukti Rijal (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Kalpana Khanal (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Mohan Kumar Sharma (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Giri Raj Sharma (Research Fellow)
Ashok Pandey (Research Fellow)
Dr. Niranjan Devkota (Research Fellow)
Dr. Hari Prakash Chand (Research Fellow)
Dr. Subash Adhikari (Research Fellow)
Dr. Pradeep Panthi (Research Fellow)
Dr. Jham Kumar Bishwakarma (Associated Research Fellow)
Dr. Maheswar Giri (Associated Research Fellow)
Gopal Acharya (Associated Research Fellow)
Dr. Prabhat Raj Dahal (Associated Research Fellow)
Rija Manandhar (Analyst)
Soniya Bashyal (Analyst)
Bimal Chandra Sharma (Library Management Coordinator)
Parbat Bhattarai (Senior Assistant)
Milan Shrestha (Senior Assistant)
Ayushka K.C. (Intern)
Ashish Bhandari (Intern)
Kumari Alika (Intern)
Dhiraj Bhatta (Intern)
Juna Shrestha (Intern)
Balihang Limbu (Intern)
Satish Sapkota (Intern)