CLPD – Centre for Law, Policy & Development

What do we do?

Research

Creating a foundation for evidence-based legal research to empower policymakers, practitioners, and communities

Regulatory Reform

Designing and advocating for reforms that modernize outdated regulations to align with ethical and equitable standards..

Policy Implementation

Facilitating the transition from policy development to real-world application for impactful societal change.

Legal Empowerment

Building capacity and awareness to enable individuals and communities to navigate legal systems effectively.

Human Rights

Upholding and advancing universal human rights through advocacy, monitoring, and legal interventions.

Global Governance

Promoting collaborative governance frameworks that address transnational challenges and safeguard public interest.

Who are we?

Minahil Khan

Co-Founder and Director

Minahil Khan

Co-Founder and Director

Ms. Minahil Khan is an advocate of the High Court, a human rights specialist, and an expert in criminal justice reform. With an LL.B (Honors) from the University of London and an LL.M from the University of Sussex, Ms. Khan brings a wealth of knowledge to her work in advocating for systemic change and promoting legal reforms. She is also an alumna of the prestigious International Visitors Leadership Program, a U.S. Department of State initiative.

Ms. Minahil has an extensive background in working with high-level legal institutions. She has clerked with Justice Gulzar Ahmad, former Chief Justice of Pakistan, assisting the bench on the landmark 21st Amendment case. Her experience also includes working with the Ministry of Human Rights and the National Commission for Human Rights, where she contributed to Pakistan’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submission and the development of Pakistan’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.

As a former leader of the Centre for Human Rights at the Research Society of International Law, Ms. Khan has been a key player in judicial capacity building and promoting Pakistan’s domestic implementation of its international human rights obligations. Her advisory role on the UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement Program (UPSCALE) has seen her collaborate with both Pakistani and UK government agencies to improve international cooperation on serious and organized crime.

Email:mkhan@clpd.com.pk

Zainab Mustafa

Co-Founder

Zainab Mustafa

Co-Founder

Zainab Mustafa is a legal professional specializing in criminal justice reform, international humanitarian law, and human rights law.

She has overseen the development of training modules and capacity-building initiatives for investigators, prosecutors, judges, and lawyers, focusing on due process and fair trial rights in Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Courts. Her work also emphasizes strengthening investigations through the increased use of forensic evidence. Additionally, she has co-authored several publications on these subjects.

Ms. Mustafa has worked as an advisor at Adam Smith International, where she authored a working paper proposing legislative amendments to enhance the admissibility and reliance on forensic evidence. She also played a pivotal role in establishing Punjab’s Regional Monitoring Unit (RMU) at the Investigation Branch in Lahore to improve investigations and drafted guidelines for investigators aimed at reducing the undertrial prison population.

Ms. Mustafa holds an LL.B (Honours) from the University of London and an LL.M in International Development Law and Human Rights from the University of Warwick. Following her postgraduate studies, she served as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Email:zmustafa@clpd.com.pk

Zainab Mustafa

CEO | Co-Founder

Zainab Mustafa

CEO | Co-Founder

Ms. Zainab Mustafa is a distinguished expert in criminal justice reform and community protection. Ms. Zainab is a member of the Special Committee formed under the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021. She drafted the Anti-Rape (Sex Offenders Register) Rules, 2023 and played a pivotal role in the launch of the National Sex Offenders Register in November 2024. She supports the Special Committee in monitoring implementation of the Act across Pakistan through a periodic review of data for evidence-based decision making.

Ms. Zainab previously served as Deputy Director at the Research Society of International Law Pakistan (RSIL), where she led the Center for Criminal Justice Reform and Capacity Building (C3). At C3, Ms. Zainab developed training curriculum for different donor funded projects and trained over 500 justice sector actors on counter terrorism and human rights, countering financing of terrorism and anti-money laundering.

Ms. Zainab also worked as a Judicial Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of Pakistan and contributed to legislative reforms with Adam Smith International through the Justice System Support Programme (JSSP) and the UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement Programme (UPSCALE).

Ms. Zainab holds an LL.B (Honours) from the University of London and an LL.M in International Development Law and Human Rights from the University of Warwick (UK), and is recognised as a leading voice in the area of criminal justice reform and community protection.

Email:zainab.mustafa@clpd.com.pk

Minahil Khan

COO | Co-Founder

Minahil Khan

COO | Co-Founder

Email:minahil.khan@clpd.com.pk

Our Advisors

Ayesha Raza Farooq

Ayesha Raza Farooq

Ms. Ayesha Raza Farooq is the Chairperson of the Special Committee constituted under the Anti-Rape Act 2021, in addition to the Chairperson for the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC). She has previously been a member of the Senate of Pakistan and National Assembly. Ayesha Raza holds a degree of Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Laws. She received Sitara-e-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan for her role in Polio eradication.

Email:ayesha.r.farooq@gmail.com

DIG Habib Imtiaz Gill

DIG Habib Imtiaz Gill

DIG Habib Gill belongs to the Police Service of Pakistan and is currently serving as Senior Police Adviser on the UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement Programme (UPSCALE). He has previously served as Technical Advisor in the Justice System Support Programme Punjab, Adam Smith International. He holds an LL.M degree in Criminal Justice from LSE and Masters in Public Management from Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy/Harvard Kennedy School.

Email:hhigill@gmail.com

Owais Barlas

Owais Barlas

Owais Barlas is a tech entrepreneur with over 14 years of experience with top global tech giants such as IBM, Teradata, and Oracle wherein he has spearheaded the deployment of emerging technologies to create accessible, sustainable and equitable solutions to key issues. He is passionate about bridging the digital divide, ensuring that marginalized communities can access technological advancements that drive economic and social progress.

As a founder of DAO Proptech and Ascend Analytics he has supported inclusive development and worked on financial freedom for women by enabling access to property ownership using real world asset tokenization and has created tech solutions that are rooted in data privacy, digital rights and sustainable development outcomes that uplift vulnerable populations.

Email:owaiskb@gmail.com

Basit Riaz Sheikh

Basit Riaz Sheikh

Basit Riaz Sheikh is a visionary AI entrepreneur and policy reform and thought leader with a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Cornell University. With over 10 years of C-level experience across the telecom, media, and AI sectors, Basit has been at the forefront of leveraging technology for social impact. As Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on IT and Telecom, he played a pivotal role in mobile broadband expansion, driving digital inclusion and empowering marginalized communities.

In addition to founding successful ventures like Capital TV and InstaWorld, he is the founder of Forloops, an AI software services company specializing in generative AI solutions that promote accessibility, sustainability, and equity across sectors such as healthcare, education, fintech, and telecom.

Basit’s work in AI and tech policy reform aligns with global goals of human rights, climate justice, and inclusive development, advocating for technologies that enable equitable growth and ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age.

Email:basit@forloops.co

Barrister Umar Khan

Barrister Umar Khan

Barrister Umar Mahmood Khan is an experienced legal professional and educator, serving as an adjunct faculty member at Universal College Lahore since 2008, where he teaches Human Rights Law and Jurisprudence & Legal Theory. With over 13 years of expertise in human rights law and the criminal justice sector, he has worked as an expert, policy adviser, and legal practitioner with key organizations including UNDP, UNICEF, BHC/DFID, and the US Department of Justice, as well as the Federal Government of Pakistan and provincial governments in KP, Punjab, and Sindh. He has more than a decade of experience in criminal litigation and has trained over 3000 government officials, including 1000 prosecutors, across multiple provinces. Umar is also an adjunct faculty member at the Centre for Professional Development for prosecutors and has taught at the Punjab Judicial Academy, contributing significantly to legal reform and capacity-building in Pakistan's justice system.

Email:umarmahmoodkhan@gmail.com

Barrister Usama Malik

Barrister Usama Malik

Usama Malik is a Barrister-at-Law from the Honorable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and is appointed as the inaugural Director of the Directorate of Legal Education (DLE) established at the Supreme Court of Pakistan in compliance of the orders of the Honorable Supreme Court, tasked with regulating legal education throughout the country. Moreover, he has served as an Advisor at the Ministry of Law and Justice of Pakistan. He is also a member of the Anti-Rape Special Statutory Committee constituted under the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021 to oversee the implementation of the said law.

Mr. Malik also holds an LLM in International Development Law and Human Rights from the University of Warwick (UK) after successfully completing his LLB (hons) from the University of London. He started his legal career with Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan as an associate and worked as a senior associate with renowned lawyer and human rights icon Ms. Asma Jahangir until her demise. He also holds the distinction of being appointed as the Chairperson of the International Legal Affairs committee of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, for a consecutive term of three years spanning from 2018-2021, whereby he organized several certification courses at the Bar for lawyers and law students including the 1st International Law Certification Course in 2018.

Furthermore, Mr. Malik was also appointed as the Chairperson of Legal Education Committee (Lahore Division) of the Punjab Bar Council. Mr. Malik is a published author and his research papers have been published in leading international/national law journals including the human rights review of the American Bar Association, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and the prestigious All Pakistan Legal Decisions (PLD). Mr. Malik has also represented Pakistan at the Human Rights Defenders Forum in Atlanta, USA on the invitation of former US President Mr. Jimmy Carter. He is frequently invited by the Punjab Judicial Academy to deliver lectures to Learned Judges of the district judiciary on various aspects of commercial law and was instrumental in the establishment of specialized Commercial courts in Punjab in collaboration with the World Bank.