08/05/2026
FAST National University Hosts Lecture by Bilal Ijaz Gilani on Pakistan’s “Uneven Growth”
Gallup Pakistan Executive Director Bilal Ijaz Gilani visited the Islamabad campus of FAST National University and delivered a lecture titled “Glass Half Full or Half Empty: Uneven Growth in Pakistan.”
The session was attended by hundreds of students and faculty members, and focused on Pakistan’s changing socioeconomic landscape, including trends in education, poverty reduction, digital access, demographic change, inequality, and regional disparities. The lecture encouraged students to critically examine whether Pakistan’s development story should be viewed through a lens of optimism, concern, or both simultaneously.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of data-driven policymaking and evidence-based public discourse, with examples drawn from national surveys, census findings, labor force data, and household-level indicators.
During the visit, discussions were also held regarding potential collaboration between FAST National University and Gallup Pakistan, including the possibility of an MoU focused on academic engagement, research collaboration, and student development initiatives.
As part of these discussions, opportunities for students of FAST to participate in the Gallup Pakistan Summer Internship Program were also explored, with both sides expressing interest in strengthening industry-academia linkages and providing students with practical exposure to survey research, analytics, and public policy work.
