Dr. Akmal Hussain

Dr. Akmal Hussain specializes in action research on development. He runs a family owned manufacturing firm and is teaching Economics at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). He is also Senior Fellow at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics. He conceived the research methodology and is Principal Author of the UNDP, Pakistan, National Human Development Report 2003. He was member of the President’s Economic Advisory Board during 1999-2002 and earlier a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Affairs Committee as an independent economist working on an honorary basis, until May 1998. In May 1997 he prepared the Report of the Task Force on Poverty Eradication, as its Chairman. The proposals of the Report were later adopted by the government as part of National Policy. He was Chairman of the working group on Poverty Alleviation for the preparation of the Ninth Five-Year Plan 1998-2003. He has also contributed to the Report of the National Commission on Agriculture. He has worked as a social mobilizer to enable local communities to acquire basic services. During 1998 he worked as honourary Chief Executive Officer of the Punjab Rural Support Program (PRSP). In this capacity he helped establish this poverty alleviation institution, and got it to a flying start in eight divisions of rural Punjab. He has also helped to establish the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and LEAD (Leadership for Environment and Development, Pakistan) and is currently a member of the Boards of Directors of both institutions. He has been working for regional cooperation in South Asia as a member Board of Governors of the South Asia Centre for Policy Studies (SACEPS) and the Independent Group for South Asian Cooperation (IGSAC). Dr. Akmal Hussain has a B.A. Honours Degree in Economics and Politics from Cambridge University and Ph.D in Economics from Sussex University. He has been an economics lecturer at University of California, Riverside and Chairman, Public Administration Department, Punjab University; has lectured widely at premier training institutions, including Pakistan Administrative Staff College and National Defence College. He has authored two books on economic policy and co-authored/contributed chapters to ten other books, 29 publications in major journals and contributed over 100 newspaper articles on economic and social issues; has also undertaken research for international agencies, including the World Bank, United Nations University, ILO/ARTEP, Swiss Development Corporation, Dutch Government and CIDA. He has presented papers as a panellist at international conferences around the world, including Harvard University, The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peace Research Institute, Oslo, World Conference on Development Rome, The United Nations, Geneva, Wilton Park at Sussex and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo. He is listed in several world biographical reference books, including the Marquis WHO’S WHO, and has been interviewed by PTV, BBC, Doordarshan, ABC and Voice of Germany.