The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) and Islamia College University Peshawar (ICUP) formalized a partnership on September 19, 2025, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), at PIPS Campus, Islamabad. The ceremony marked a significant step in strengthening collaboration between Pakistan’s premier parliamentary research, professional development and capacity-building institution and one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious universities.
Welcoming the initiative, Mr. Asim Khan Goraya, Executive Director of PIPS, expressed his pleasure at forging ties with Islamia College University Peshawar, a historic seat of learning established in 1913. He highlighted that PIPS, established in 2008 through an Act of Parliament, carries a broad mandate encompassing research, legislative assistance and professional development. Its core responsibility also lies in capacity-building and training for Members of the National Parliament, Provincial and Legislative Assemblies, their secretariats as well as Government officials.
Mr. Goraya emphasized PIPS’s strong outreach programs aimed at sensitizing students to parliamentary business and democratic processes. He shared that PIPS has already partnered with several leading institutions, including Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) and the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST). During the event, he also introduced members of the PIPS team, including (Director General Research), PIPS, Mr. Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka, who leads research and outreach initiatives, and Mrs. Samer Awais, (Director General CB&D), PIPS, who oversees capacity-building and development programs.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Amir Ullah Khan, Associate Professor, ICUP recalled the university’s earlier efforts in 2023 to introduce diploma and degree courses in Parliamentary Studies. He noted that with the support of PIPS, these aspirations now have a practical pathway to success. He added that the MoU would enable both institutions to expand collaboration in academic research and training initiatives, while also providing students with opportunities to engage directly with parliamentary institutions.
Dr. Amir Ullah Khan emphasized ICUP’s legacy of producing distinguished alumni who have served at the highest levels of public service in Pakistan. He expressed confidence that this partnership would open new avenues for students and faculty to participate in seminars, conferences, and training programs conducted jointly by PIPS and ICUP.
In his remarks, Prof. Dr Ahmad-ur-Rehman Saljoki, Vice Chancellor of ICUP expressed gratitude to PIPS for this landmark collaboration and termed it an honor for the university. He underscored that the partnership would yield concrete outcomes, including the launch of a one-year diploma course in Parliamentary Studies. He particularly appreciated PIPS’s role in bringing the applied and practical aspects of parliamentary functioning to academic settings, thereby offering students and teachers invaluable exposure.
The Vice Chancellor, ICUP further suggested arranging structured study visits for ICUP students to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, enabling them to observe parliamentary proceedings firsthand. He also invited the Executive Director of PIPS and his team to visit ICUP in the near future, reaffirming the university’s commitment to sustaining this collaboration.
In his concluding remarks, Executive Director PIPS, Mr. Asim Khan Goraya highlighted that PIPS’s mandate has expanded over the years, not only providing technical assistance to legislators but also extending training opportunities to government officers. He noted that partnerships with universities like ICUP serve to bridge the gap between academia and the legislature, equipping students and future leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to strengthen parliamentary democracy in Pakistan.
The event concluded with an exchange of memorabilia, mementos and publications between the delegations of PIPS and ICUP, symbolizing the start of a mutually rewarding partnership.