Dr Seema Khan has been named as the 2022 Jinnah Postdoctoral Fellow at LSE IDEAS, the London School of Economics’ foreign policy think tank.
As the most recent recipient of the prestigious Jinnah Fellowship, Dr Khan, who previously spent more than 20 years working across public administration, management, and implementation within the Pakistani government and Australian universities, will undertake research into Pakistan’s approach towards the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
With the situation in Afghanistan having changed dramatically following withdrawal of allied forces and the Taliban seizure of power, Dr Khan is keen to study how the corridor, and specifically the Gwadar Port, would be impacted by the changed politico-economic situation of Pakistan.
Joining LSE IDEAS with an impressive background in security and defence studies, Dr Khan will also explore different dimensions of Pakistan’s foreign policy, which is swaying away from its traditional alignment with America and strong affiliation with China.
Funded by Dr Saqib Qureshi, the Canadian Jaffari Muslim Foundation, and other donors, the Jinnah Postdoctoral Fellowship at LSE IDEAS was launched to spark meaningful conversations about Pakistan and its place in the world.
Professor Christopher Coker, Director of LSE IDEAS, says:
"We are delighted to welcome Seema Khan as our second Jinnah Fellow who will be looking at the prospects for the growing China-Pakistan economic corridor. It is a timely theme with important geopolitical and geoeconomics implications for the Indo-Pacific region."
Dr Seema Khan, Jinnah Postdoctoral Fellow 2022, says:
"I am thrilled to have been named the 2022 Jinnah Postdoctoral Fellow at LSE IDEAS. I cannot truly express how much this opportunity means to me, and the gratitude that I have to LSE IDEAS and the wider London School of Economics for this opportunity. This newfound association with a world-renowned institution will afford me many research opportunities. However, I am also filled with a deep sense of responsibility as I look to continue the impressive and meaningful work of LSE IDEAS and the wider university."