PCP Welcomes Dr. Ali Cheema and Ms. Fatima Asad-Said to

Board of Directors

Vice Chancellor of LUMS, Dr. Ali Cheema is a distinguished economist whose research focuses on economic development with an emphasis on human capital, inclusion and economic mobility, gender dynamics, and political economy. Presently, he serves on the Board of Directors of the State Bank of Pakistan.

Dr. Cheema holds a PhD in Economics from Cambridge, an MPhil in Economics and Politics from Cambridge, and a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar. He was also a visiting Fulbright and SAI Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School in 2010-11.

Ms. Fatima Asad-Said serves as the CEO of Abacus, a leading International technology, outsourcing, and consulting firm. Ms. Asad-Said's professional journey began at Coopers & Lybrand International, followed by PricewaterhouseCoopers after completing her MBA from LUMS.

Her leadership journey includes serving on various Boards such as LUMS, Faysal Bank, Kashf Foundation, Interloop Limited, Bata Pakistan and Kaarvan Crafts Foundation. She is a certified Corporate Director from Harvard Business School and a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Hub Leadership Council as well as the Women Executives of Boards Forum.

Congratulations to the newly certified NPOs on getting PCP's "Seal of Good Housekeeping"

Our certification unit received a record-breaking 488 applications this financial year, including 456 from local NPOs, 18 from INGOs, 10 from universities, and 04 from MFIs.

As the sole certification agency for nonprofits in Pakistan, approved by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), PCP is working diligently to provide accreditation to NPOs, thereby enhancing their credibility and boosting donor confidence. In this quarter alone (April to June 2024), PCP has granted certification approval to 85 organizations. The panel-wise details are as follows.

Beyond tax benefits, PCP Certification helps to bridge the information and credibility gap between grant-makers and grant-recipients, builds NPOs' capacity to meet international standards of Governance, Transparency & Accountability and last but not the least, build a credible pool of non-profits that are reliable and effective development partners.

The Executive Director of PCP held a meeting with the Chief Commissioner of the Tax Office in Faisalabad. Given PCP's recognition as a Certification Agency by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), its management consistently interacts with regional tax offices to tackle tax-related concerns affecting NPOs. This proactive engagement seeks to elevate the significance of the PCP certification process.

PCP - Expanding knowledge of philanthropy

PCP is conducting a study on: 'Social and Economic Dimensions of Qurbani Hides' in Lahore District. This study is in continuation of an earlier pilot done in Karachi Division in the year 2022. For the current study, the required data on sacrificial animals was collected in two phases: First, information on the number and magnitude of sacrificial animals was gathered from collection centers and hides/skin traders and government management departments. Second, information on the perceptions and views of 'Qurbani' was gathered from a small sample of households in Lahore city. Data collection began on 17th June 2024 and ended on 2nd July 2024, during which enumerators diligently gathered data across all selected households from different socio-economic backgrounds. During field work, PCP research team visited some places for supervision and monitoring of the survey process. The data generated would be analysed to prepare a report on the dynamics of Qurbani Hides in Pakistan.

Mapping of Youth Philanthropy at University Level

The first comprehensive study on youth philanthropy in Pakistan is currently underway. The research team is collecting information through online and telephonic surveys from HEC-recognized private and public universities in Pakistan. The survey aims to gauge the involvement of universities in youth philanthropy, focusing in three aspects: academic courses, community work, and alumni engagement. The data generated will be used for mapping of universities involved in youth philanthropic activities. Based on the report's findings, a Youth Summit is planned to be organized in collaboration with National University of Science and Technology (NUST) to recognize and celebrate the contributions of universities in mobilizing youth for social good in Pakistan.

In collaboration with the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS), PCP discovered that Pakistan maintained its Doing Okay status from 2022. Click here to learn more: https://shorturl.at/SIJBV

The DGI provides actionable, evidence-based insights for business leaders, philanthropists, and policymakers to facilitate and increase private capital flows toward the social sector. It also outlines a blueprint for a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous future for the Asia region.

The academic course on "Introduction to philanthropy" offered by PCP for spring semester 2024 for graduate students at SZABIST University has been successfully completed. The purpose of this course is to provide knowledge and awareness about the discourse on philanthropy to equip young students with practical knowledge and skills to become development practitioners and engaged citizens. Besides in-class teaching, the course included field visits to various non-profit philanthropic organizations, such as the Institute of Rural Management (IRM) and the Read Foundation, to give a better understanding and valuable hands-on experience to the youth in philanthropy.

The article titled "Altruism or Religious Obligation?" was published in The Nations on May 7, 2024. The article distinguishes between religious giving and religiously motivated giving in Pakistan, highlighting their socio-economic impacts. It explains that religious giving involves contributions to religious institutions or leaders, while religiously msotivated giving aims to alleviate poverty, improve education, and provide healthcare. The article provides examples from various religions, including Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity, showing how these traditions foster a culture of charity. This culture, driven by religious values, creates a social safety net and enhances societal well-being. The article emphasizes that while all religious giving is motivated by faith, not all religiously motivated giving is strictly religious. Read it here: https://shorturl.at/uEJWX

A Policy Brief on Strengthening Gender-Inclusive Programming thru CSOs in GBC

With the support of Aga Khan Foundation-Pakistan, the project titled 'Advancing Gender Equality through Civil Society (AGECS)' in GBC is at the end of its completion phase. Based on the Project's report and training of CSOs in Capacity Assessment, a policy brief on: 'Strengthening CSO capacity to achieve gender equality' has been prepared. This is for the learning of CSOs and other stakeholders in the region about the success and challenges of the project and for making collective effort in changing the existing gender inequality norms in the project locations i.e., Aliabad (Hunza) and Chilas (Diamer).