Professional Affiliation

Senior Policy Specialist, Pakistan

Expert Bio

Syed Hassan Akbar has been senior policy specialist on national security with the Government of Pakistan. Until recently, he headed the Strategic Policy Planning Cell where he advised on a wide range of traditional national security issues and led the drafting process for Pakistan’s first comprehensive national security policy released in 2022. Before joining government, he was a director at the Jinnah Institute, an Islamabad based think tank, where he managed the Chaophraya Dialogue, the longest running track-II dialogue between Pakistan and India. He combines experience as a policy practitioner and a researcher on global and regional security, economic connectivity and democracy with a special focus on South Asia and global power competition. He has also worked in the development sector on rights based advocacy, gender and governance with national and multinational institutions. He holds a graduate degree in international affairs from Columbia University.

Expertise

• Democracy
• Economics and Globalization
• Gender
• Global Governance
• Governance
• International Development
• Security and Defense

Wilson Center Project

Pakistan's Geoeconomic Vision: Realizing Economic Gains Through Connectivity and Development Partnerships