Chairpersons of IRM
IRM Blogs
Dr. Shahida Jaffery
Chairperson, Institute of Rural Management (IRM) | September 2022 – Present
Dr. Shahida Jaffery is a distinguished educationist, development practitioner, and institution builder with more than forty years of leadership experience. She is widely recognized for her pioneering role as the Founding Vice Chancellor of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University, Quetta, where she expanded access to higher education for women and strengthened academic excellence in Balochistan. She also served as the first female Chief Executive Officer of the Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP), leading initiatives that promoted poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, social inclusion, and sustainable livelihoods for underserved communities.
Since assuming the role of Chairperson of IRM in 2022, Dr. Jaffery has advanced the Institute’s mission of community empowerment, institutional strengthening, and inclusive development across Pakistan. Her outstanding contributions to education and national development were recognized with the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (2012) by the Government of Pakistan. She has also received international recognition, including a nomination for the Ramon Magsaysay Award, for her leadership in education and community development. Her work continues to create lasting opportunities for women, youth, and marginalized communities throughout the country.
Dr. Humayun Khan
Chairperson, Institute of Rural Management (IRM) | 2010–2022
Dr. Humayun Khan was a distinguished civil servant, diplomat, scholar, and development thinker whose career spanned more than four decades. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and the University of Southern California, he served in senior administrative positions before joining Pakistan’s Foreign Service. His diplomatic career included key assignments as Ambassador to Bangladesh, High Commissioner to India and the United Kingdom, and ultimately Foreign Secretary of Pakistan. Throughout his career, he contributed significantly to public administration, diplomacy, governance, and international cooperation.
As Chairperson of IRM from 2010 to 2022, Dr. Khan provided strategic leadership that strengthened the Institute’s role in capacity building, leadership development, and community-based development. He was also a respected author and commentator on governance, public policy, and Pakistan–India relations. His contributions to public service, institution building, and international development earned him widespread respect in Pakistan and abroad, leaving a lasting impact on future generations of policymakers, diplomats, and development professionals.
Mr. Shoaib Sultan Khan
Founding Chairperson, Institute of Rural Management (IRM)
Mr. Shoaib Sultan Khan is one of South Asia’s most influential development leaders and the pioneer of Pakistan’s Rural Support Programmes movement. After a distinguished career in Pakistan’s Civil Service and with international organizations such as UNICEF and UNDP, he founded the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) in 1982. Through his vision of community-driven development, he demonstrated how organized communities can improve livelihoods, reduce poverty, and lead sustainable local development. His work laid the foundation for the Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN), which has positively impacted millions of people across Pakistan.
As Founding Chairperson of IRM, Mr. Khan played a key role in building institutional capacity for development professionals and community leaders. His lifelong contributions to rural development, social mobilization, and poverty alleviation have earned him numerous national and international honors, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership (1992), UNEP Global 500 Award (1989), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (1990), Hilal-i-Imtiaz (2006), and Nishan-i-Imtiaz (2019), Pakistan’s highest civilian award. His legacy continues to inspire development practitioners across the region.