Executive Director's Profile

Mr Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka presently is a member of the pioneering team of the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services, who envisioned and established the Research and Training Programmes as PIPS’ Director (Research and Informational Services). He brings with him two decades experience in academia, research and parliamentary services. He holds an M. Phil. degree in International Relations and M.Sc in Strategic Studies with distinction from the top ranking Quaid e Azam University, Islamabad.

Mr Zaka was awarded Professional Legislative Fellowship by US State Department (Oct-Nov., 2015) for Washington. He has also attended an International Course on Legislative Research by US Congressional Research Service (2008) and an International Fellowship on Human Rights and Budget Analysis (April 18-29, 2008) held by US Budget Group and Asian Institute of Human Rights, Thailand. He recently led PIPS to be recognized as centre of parliamentary excellence at a 12 country network of Parliamentary Resource Centres set up in Amman, Jordan on March 30-31, 2016 with support of Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

He has to his credit publications on parliamentary democracy, society and comparative religion. Mr Zaka has authored numerous handbooks/modules for Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services on significant parliamentary topics. Mr Zaka steers PIPS team that was instrumental to commence Parliamentary Studies as a discipline in universities. He is a certified trainer in parliamentary research, assessing laws, human rights and disaster risk management from the Asian Institute for Human Rights, Thailand and UNDP. He is an eloquent and much sought speaker on ideology of Pakistan, leadership, human rights, role of youth, peace, tolerance and state building well as security issues not only by academia but civil society, national and international media and parliamentary institutions. He has been member of founding team member of the Foundation University, Islamabad.

He started his full-time career as Lecturer, political science at FFCB (1996-2000) and Faculty at FFIMCS (2000-2003). Mr Zaka has also served on leading portfolios including Head, Deptt. of Social Sciences and Development Studies, Iqra University (2003-2006); Director, Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) (2006-2007) and Legislative Capacity Advisor, Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Project, (PLSP) (2007-2010).

Mr Zaka has supervised numerous MS dissertations in the fields of development studies, international relations, sociology, diplomatic and strategic studies, at reputable Pakistani universities. He has been Member, Board of Studies at the Department of Defence and Diplomatic Studies, Fatimah Jinnah Women University, FJWU. He has been on the panel of experts on Radio Pakistan current affairs programme News Nite in addition to being an Editorial Writer at The Muslim English daily way back in 1996-97.

Mr Zaka has also served as the Executive Director of the Institute from 1st July to 30th September, 2014 and from 3rd September, 2015 to 19th May, 2016.