Q1

As I belong to a generation which has grown up in conflict prone region of Pakistan and has seen people
getting displaced due to war on terror post [Link] very factor motivated me to find out reasons for
conflicts and causes of conflicts happening around the world. Moreover, an ever-changing global
landscape also fueled my eagerness to explore different approaches of conflict resolutions. My first
experience came when I volunteered with Hilal Ahmar (RED Crescent Society) during military operation
which took place in our region which displaced thousands of people, there I understood what “service
above self” meant. From here, I became part and parcel of those lives who were torn apart by terrorism
and military operations, especially families forced to live in camps or makeshift camps under harsh
conditions.

As team leader, I coordinated aid delivery to IDP camps, prioritizing women and children who were the
most affected. Most of the people we helped spoke Pashto, and because I speak it fluently, I was able to
communicate directly, earning trust and understanding their immediate and long-term needs. We didn’t
just drop off supplies—we stayed, listened, and tried to create a sense of dignity and safety. One of our
most meaningful efforts was initiating informal schooling for displaced children who had lost access to
education. With limited resources, we organized learning spaces using tents and minimal supplies,
bringing in volunteer teachers and incorporating play-based activities to support emotional recovery.

During this period, I also applied my research experience from university, particularly insights I gained
during the Global Campus Program (a collaboration between my university and Tokyo University), where
I studied conflict resolution in Operation Zarb-e-Azb. I applied those findings practically—advocating for
psychosocial support, government collaboration, and sustainable recovery programs for displaced
communities.

What stood out most to me wasn’t just the gratitude of those we served—it was the transformation in
myself. I stopped seeing service as charity and started seeing it as responsibility. My understanding of
peace evolved from an abstract ideal to a grounded, daily commitment. I’ve carried this ethos into my
teaching career as a Subject Specialist, where I mentor students not only academically but also to
become compassionate, socially aware individuals.
Q2

My professional journey has been shaped by a deep commitment to education, peace, and community
resilience. As a Subject Specialist in Social Sciences and I have been actively engaged in nurturing young
minds and promoting informed civic participation. However, I have often felt that my potential to
contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding is limited by the absence of global exposure and specialized
training in policy design, peace processes, and cross-cultural dialogue. The Rotary Peace Fellowship
represents an opportunity to bridge this gap and elevate my efforts from local impact to global
relevance.

The Fellowship’s multidisciplinary academic structure, practical training modules, and global networking
possibilities are perfectly aligned with my aspirations. I am particularly drawn to its emphasis on conflict
transformation, peace education, and grassroots leadership. My experiences—ranging from conducting
research on counterterrorism operations to volunteering in IDP camps—have equipped me with practical
insights, but I now seek a structured, academic framework to analyze, compare, and implement peace
strategies effectively. The Fellowship will expose me to diverse case studies, perspectives, and
peacebuilding tools that I can contextualize and apply in Pakistan’s fragile regions.

Moreover, the Fellowship will enhance my leadership, negotiation, and cross-cultural communication
skills. These competencies are essential in a world where polarization is on the rise and trust in
institutions is eroding. I plan to return with a stronger foundation in peace policy design and conflict-
sensitive education, enabling me to influence not only my students but also broader community
initiatives. I envision launching a civic education and peace literacy program in marginalized areas of
Pakistan, using a curriculum that integrates international peace practices with local values and realities.

Rotary’s mission resonates deeply with my core values. I have witnessed firsthand how community-led
efforts—when built on trust and compassion—can restore dignity to those affected by conflict and
displacement. Through this Fellowship, I aim to amplify these efforts with refined knowledge, global
insight, and a stronger voice. I believe my passion, combined with Rotary’s legacy of service and peace,
can catalyze lasting change both within and beyond my community.
Q3

My journey from the frontline of humanitarian relief to the lecture halls of Quaid-i-Azam University has
shaped a research vision at the nexus of peacebuilding, social equity, and environmental resilience.
Throughout my internships with Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), I observed firsthand how conflict
and climate stressors intertwine to exacerbate community vulnerability. These experiences have inspired
three interconnected lines of inquiry that I wish to pursue as a Rotary Peace Fellow:

1. Community-Based Participatory Peacebuilding (CBPP):

I have long been drawn to participatory approaches that place local voices at the center of conflict
transformation. Building on my work coordinating psychosocial support and informal education for IDPs
after Operation Zarb-e-Azb, I plan to investigate how CBPP models can be systematically integrated into
counterterrorism aftermaths. My goal is to develop a framework that measures not only reductions in
violence but also indicators of social cohesion—trust, intergroup dialogue, and collective action. This
research will draw on mixed methods, combining survey data, focus groups, and participant observation,
to assess long-term resilience.

2. Policy Analysis for Education Equity in Fragile Contexts:

Education emerged as a pivotal tool in my humanitarian work: informal classes in displacement camps
restored hope to children at risk of radicalization. Yet despite this clear impact, policy frameworks often
neglect the transitional phase from emergency education to formal schooling. I intend to compare
national policies in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Uganda—three contexts with large IDP/REFUGEE
populations—to identify best practices and policy gaps. By analyzing government documents,
interviewing policymakers, and mapping educational outcomes, I aim to propose actionable policy
recommendations that can be adopted by ministries and NGOs alike.

3. Sustainability and Climate Conflict Nexus:

Pakistan’s vulnerability to glacial melt, floods, and resource scarcity underscores the urgency of
understanding environmental drivers of conflict. In my internship at Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS)
I saw communities whose livelihoods were eroded by shifting climate patterns, leading to disputes over
water and grazing land. My research will explore how climate adaptation initiatives—such as community
irrigation cooperatives or sustainable agroforestry—can serve as peacebuilding mechanisms. This project
will involve geospatial analysis of environmental change, policy review, and case studies of grassroots
adaptation programs.

By pursuing these three strands of research, I aim to generate insights that are academically rigorous and
practically relevant. The Rotary Peace Fellowship’s emphasis on combining theory with field engagement
makes it the perfect incubator for my work. I look forward to collaborating with faculty and peers to
refine my methods, test my hypotheses in diverse settings, and ultimately contribute evidence-based
strategies for sustainable peace and development.

Q4

Uppsala University’s Rotary Peace Center stands out as the ideal institution for my academic and
professional aspirations due to its strong interdisciplinary approach to peace and conflict research, the
emphasis on human security, and its integration of theory and field practice. With over a decade of
experience straddling humanitarian service, teaching, and academic inquiry in Political Science and
International Relations, I see Uppsala as the place where my passion for sustainable peacebuilding and
inclusive governance can evolve into impactful scholarship and practice.

My career has been defined by direct engagement in conflict-affected communities in Pakistan—

particularly during my humanitarian work with internally displaced persons (IDPs) and my research on
counterterrorism policy effectiveness during and after Operation Zarb-e-Azb. These experiences have
exposed me to the complex interplay between state security, human development, and the psychosocial
needs of marginalized populations. Uppsala’s curriculum—with courses like “Theories of Peace and
Conflict,” “Humanitarian Action,” and “Conflict Resolution in Practice”—offers a framework to
systematize these experiences and ground them in robust theoretical and comparative perspectives.

Moreover, the university’s Department of Peace and Conflict Research is globally respected for its
empirical and field-oriented research, particularly its work on conflict data analysis and peace processes.
I am especially inspired by the work of Professor Ashok Swain on environmental conflict and
transboundary water cooperation, as his research aligns with my interest in the climate-conflict nexus in
South Asia. His approach to linking resource scarcity, displacement, and state responses would enrich my
planned research on community-based climate resilience as a peacebuilding tool.

As an educator currently mentoring students in Social Sciences, I am also eager to benefit from Uppsala’s
emphasis on critical thinking and policy analysis. I aim to return to Pakistan equipped with the tools to
train future peacebuilders—not just in theory, but with context-specific and inclusive strategies.
Participating in Uppsala’s intercultural and interdisciplinary environment will allow me to refine my own
teaching methods while collaborating with scholars and practitioners from across the globe.

Furthermore, Sweden’s own reputation for neutrality, diplomacy, and commitment to development adds
real-world value to studying peace in a society that embodies these ideals. Uppsala’s extensive alumni
network and close collaboration with international organizations will also offer meaningful opportunities
for applied learning and future partnerships.
In short, Uppsala University’s blend of academic rigor, practical relevance, and global engagement makes
it the right platform for the next chapter of my journey—a journey deeply rooted in service, research,
and the vision of building lasting peace through education, equity, and inclusion

Q5

International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan, is an exceptional match for both my academic
background and my vision for contributing to sustainable peace and development in post-conflict
regions. My professional experiences—as a humanitarian volunteer, a researcher in counterterrorism
and conflict resolution, and a Subject Specialist in Political Science and International Relations—have
prepared me to benefit from ICU’s rigorous academic programs and to actively contribute to its global
community of peace practitioners.

ICU’s strong interdisciplinary curriculum—particularly its integration of peace studies, international

relations, and human rights—will allow me to sharpen my understanding of systemic violence, political
marginalization, and grassroots peacebuilding. My prior engagement with ICU through the Global
Campus Program, in collaboration with Quaid-i-Azam University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies,
gave me an initial glimpse into the Japanese academic environment. It also helped me recognize ICU’s
unique commitment to fostering ethical leadership through both academic excellence and cultural
humility.

Given my field experience working with internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—
where I led relief efforts and psychosocial support initiatives—ICU’s emphasis on conflict-sensitive
development resonates strongly with me. My goal is to study the effectiveness of state counterterrorism
strategies in South Asia while evaluating their humanitarian consequences, particularly in displaced and
marginalized communities. ICU’s Peace Research Institute and faculty expertise in human security,
migration, and reconciliation processes will be critical in guiding my research.

I am also drawn to ICU’s location in Japan—a country with its own history of post-war reconstruction,
reconciliation, and soft diplomacy. Studying in a society that has demonstrated long-term peace and
nonviolent conflict resolution will provide important comparative insights for my work in Pakistan, where
challenges of extremism, inequality, and interethnic tensions persist.

Moreover, ICU’s multicultural learning environment provide a setting where dialogue and intercultural
exchange are encouraged—traits that align closely with my passion for inclusive education and my
experience in mentoring students. I am particularly excited about the opportunity to engage with peers
from around the world, many of whom will bring unique experiences from conflict zones, development
programs, and policy fields.
In sum, ICU’s academic depth, its global orientation, and its philosophical commitment to service and
ethical leadership make it an ideal place for me to advance my research on peacebuilding, develop new
pedagogical strategies, and become a more impactful educator and practitioner. I believe I will not only
grow intellectually at ICU but also contribute actively to its mission through my lived experience, cross-
sectoral work, and unwavering commitment to Rotary’s values.