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Reimagining Talent Generation for Pakistan
No full textPakistan\u27s higher education landscape has undergone significant expansion over the past decade, producing a growing number Of graduates in fields such as Management Sciences, Engineering, and Social Sciences. However, this growth has not translated into a workforce that is adequately equipped to meet the dynamic and evolving demands Of the corporate sector. A persistent and widening skills gap exists between what academic institutions are currently producing and what employers require from entry-level talent. Fresh graduates often enter the workforce with strong theoretical knowledge but lack the practical, technological, and behavioral competencies essential for immediate workplace contribution. This disconnect not only hampers graduate employability but also hinders corporate productivity, innovation, and long-term growth. Recognizing the urgency Of this challenge, this initiative seeks to reimagine the process Of talent generation by strengthening the bridge between academia and industry. The primary objective of this initiative is to align the output of academic institutions with the realities Of the labor market, ensuring that students are both job-ready and future-ready. The goal is not only to improve student employability but also to enable organizations to attract talent that is better prepared to drive business outcomes in an increasingly complex and digital-first economy. By integrating employer feedback directly into the curriculum design process, this initiative aims to create a system where academic programming is continuously responsive to emerging skill demands and workplace expectations. TO achieve this objective, a multi-phased methodology was deployed, combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Over 50 entry-level job descriptions (JDS) were collected and analyzed from a diverse range Of industries including FMCG, pharmaceuticals, tech, banking, and
energy. This content analysis allowed for the extraction Of key technical and soft skills most commonly expected from graduates. Complementing this, over 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with HR leaders, talent acquisition heads, and domain-specific managers to validate findings from the JDs and uncover deeper insights into performance gaps, future competencies, and emerging industry trends. These findings were then benchmarked against global frameworks, particularly the World Economic Forum\u27s Future Of Jobs Reports (2020 and 2023), to ensure alignment With international trends such as analytical thinking, digital literacy, and emotional intelligence. The resulting dataset yielded a robust skill taxonomy Of 122 unique competencies, categorized into technical/functional and domains. To quantify the skill gaps, a nationwide survey was administered via QuestionPro to professionals across sectors. The survey captured perceptions of students\u27 current skill levels versus desired competency levels using a five-point Likert scale. With 96 complete responses from hiring managers, HR executives, team leads, and early-career mentors, the dataset was statistically analyzed to determine the magnitude of skill gaps across functions such as HR, Finance, Sales, Supply Chain, and Marketing. A Skill Gap Index (SGI) was developed using mean difference analysis and heatmap visualization, enabling a clear view of where the most critical mismatches lie. The analysis revealed that across all domains, data-driven decision-making, analytical skills, and digital fluency consistently showed high levels of deficiency. For instance, in HR, the largest gaps were observed in performance management (40.86%), change management (40.00%), and data analytics (38.94%). In Supply Chain, skills like artificial intelligence and machine learning (50.000/0), demand forecasting (47.62%), and blockchain integration (46.67%) emerged as areas Of serious concern. Finance showed significant deficiencies in ESG and sustainable finance
(50.000/0), financial modeling (45.16%), and quantitative analysis (44.83%). Sales and Marketing faced major gaps in predictive analytics, CRM systems, and consumer insight. Meanwhile, cross- functional soft skills such as ownership, resilience, systems thinking, and learning agility were notably lacking, suggesting a broader need for behavioral transformation alongside technical capability. In response to these findings, the report curates a set Of global and local best practices aimed at addressing the most pressing gaps. Internationally, programs from institutions like MIT, Wharton, LSEs and NYU Stern are cited for their integration of real-world tools and experiential learning approaches, including simulation-based training, live analytics projects, and design-thinking pedagogy. Locally, successful models such as IBA Karachi\u27s Personal Effectiveness course, LUMS\u27s NIC Foundry Program, NUST\u27s 5G Hackathon, and Air University\u27s CyberStorm Ideathon demonstrate how strategic academic-industry collaborations can embed workplace- relevant skills into the undergraduate experience. The report concludes with a forward-looking action plan for academia, corporate partners, and policymakers. For universities, it recommends embedding high-gap skills into core curricula, investing in faculty upskilling, and co-developing capstone projects with industry, For corporates, it suggests strengthening internship-to-hiring pipelines, supporting micro-credentialing efforts, and participating in curriculum design advisory boards. Ultimately, this initiative lays the groundwork for a talent development ecosystem that is agile, inclusive, and strategically aligned with both national development goals and global workforce standards
Strategic Assessment of PRL under the New Refinery Expansion Framework
No full textThis Experiential Learning Project, conducted in partnership with Topline Securities Limited, focused on the financial valuation and equity research of Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL). The objective was to bridge academic financial theory with real-world industry application by developing a comprehensive Excel-based financial model. The project involved analyzing PRL\u27s financial statements, assessing macroeconomic and policy influences, and applying discounted cash flow (DCF) and relative valuation techniques. Through this initiative, the team evaluated PRL’s strategic direction and investment viability amid the broader regulatory and industrial landscape. The project contributes meaningfully to Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), by promoting data-driven investment analysis and supporting sustainable industrial development in Pakistan’s energy sector
Exploring the Impact of Ethical Marketing Mix and Customer Relationship Management on Customer Satisfaction in Islamic Banks
No full textThis study seeks to investigate the factors that influence Customer Satisfaction towards Islamic banks in Pakistan. Data for this research was collected from 250 customers of Islamic banks located in Karachi, Pakistan. The analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares (PLS) to assess the impact of various factors, including Islamic ethical marketing mix (such as Ethical product, Ethical price, Ethical place, Ethical promotion, Ethical people, Ethical process, Ethical physical evidence) and Customer Relationship Management aspects (such as Traditional CRM and Social CRM) on Customer Satisfaction towards Islamic banking. The study identifies that Ethical product, Ethical price, Ethical place, Ethical people, Traditional CRM and Social CRM reveals a positive and statistically significant relationship with Customer satisfaction, while the connection between Ethical promotion and Ethical physical evidence displays a positive but statistically insignificant relationship. Additionally, our study recommends some invaluable insights for professionals and businesses operating in emerging nations, especially those in the banking industry
Beyond bruises: how domestic abuse shapes generations
No full textA primary research study by IBA Karachi’s Centre for Business and Economic Research (CBER) highlights how domestic violence, alongside cousin marriages, significantly contributes to cognitive disabilities in children. Conducted across six rehabilitation institutions in Karachi, the study revealed that abuse during prenatal and postnatal stages—ranging from marital rape to coercion and emotional neglect—deeply impacts mothers and their children’s mental health. Findings show that women aged 25–29, particularly in low-income areas, face higher risks, with many reporting cognitively impaired firstborns. Social stigma further isolates families, with disabled children often hidden or segregated. Despite efforts by institutions like Scinosa, which uses music therapy and vocational training, systemic government intervention remains lacking. The study calls for inclusive education, subsidized care, disability rights enforcement, and accountability measures like mandatory medical screenings before marriage to break cycles of violence and marginalization
Moot calls for stronger support to promote breastfeeding
No full textAt a seminar jointly organised by UNICEF, IBA, and Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) to mark World Breastfeeding Week 2025, speakers highlighted that only 45% of infants in Pakistan are exclusively breastfed, underscoring urgent gaps in maternal and child health practices. Parliamentary secretary of health Nida Khuro stressed government efforts to implement breastfeeding laws, while experts emphasized its health, economic, and social benefits. Challenges faced by working women, lack of workplace facilities, and limited public awareness were identified as major barriers. A panel discussion reinforced the need for behavioural change within families, support for maternity rights, and stronger enforcement of breastfeeding laws. Participants called for multisectoral collaboration—bringing together government, academia, healthcare, and civil society—to strengthen breastfeeding practices for the well-being of mothers and children
Strategies for Supporting ICMA Members in Transitioning to Emerging Areas like Sustainability & Green Accounting (IFRS S1 and IFRS S2)
No full textThis report explores strategies for the Institute of Cost and Management Accountant of Pakistan (ICMAP) to support its members transitioning toward sustainability fields of ESG reporting, and green accounting. ICMA’s adoption of standards like IFRS S1 and S2 positions it to become a regional leader in sustainability practices. Using research methodologies that combine qualitative insights, benchmarking, and policy analysis, this project identifies capacity gaps and proposes targeted solutions to enhance ICMA members\u27 skills and align them with global ESG trends. The report is structured around five key deliverables; Firstly: Eco-friendly incubation strategies, secondly: The enhancement of CPD offerings, thirdly: The promotion of sustainabilityfocused events, fourthly: Development of strategic partnerships and collaborations, and Lastly Fifth: The strengthening of sustainability-centric publications. The recommendations of this report include the launching of the “ICMA SymbioSphere” incubation model based on circular economy principles, Integrating ESG and climate reporting modules into CPD programs, setting up green startup awards and carbon-driven event formats, building strategic partnerships with environmental agencies and global accounting bodies and Publishing sustainability newsletters to enhance members awareness and though leadership. The strategies presented herein aligns with Pakistan Vision 2025 and United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (“UN SDGs”) and allows ICMA to not only stay ahead of the regulatory curve but also shape a new generation of sustainability-conscious professionals and organizations
Urdu Voice Agent: A Conversational Ordering System for Inclusive Restaurant Experiences
No full textThis project presents an intelligent Urdu voice system designed to process natural spoken queries from users, interpret their intent, and manage restaurant-related tasks such as order placement, order modification, booking reservations, and customer detail retrieval. The system makes use of a speech recognition module to transcribe Urdu audio, machine translation to convert between Urdu and English, and a modular AI pipeline for intent classification, information extraction, and response generation. It also integrates MongoDB in order to store information regarding customer orders and bookings. The backend functionality is built with Python, while Gradio has been used as a front-end tool. All in all, the application offers a conversational, voice-based interface capable of handling structured human to computer natural interactions, making it suitable for use cases such as restaurant assistants or customer service bots for Urdu-speaking regions
Consumer perceptions and purchase decisions among women toward the Junaid Jamshed (J.) brand
No full textThis capstone project studies the perceptions and purchase decisions of female consumers toward the Junaid Jamshed (J.) brand, focusing on identifying gaps in its women’s apparel segment and providing actionable strategies for improvement. While J. enjoys significant popularity in men’s traditional wear, its women’s line remains weak, with weaker design innovation, limited emotional appeal, and a perception problem among younger and trendconscious consumers. Against the backdrop of rising competition from brands such as Khaadi, Ideas by Gul Ahmed, Zellbury, and Saya, this research aimed to reveal how women view J., what influences their purchase behavior, and how the brand can reposition itself effectively in the fashion retail market.
The project began with a proposal defense phase, where extensive secondary research was done. This included a literature review of academic studies on consumer behavior, gender-based fashion preferences, brand switching, omnichannel retailing, influencer marketing, and ecommerce trust in retail industry of Pakistan. Initial findings highlighted that peer recommendations are more effective than celebrity endorsements, brand-switching is common due to low product innovation, and that digital trust and omnichannel integration are essential to modern fashion consumers. Market competition analysis presented that J. has a price disadvantage compared to competitors, with higher costs for less fabric and limited product categories for women. Moreover, J.’s Shariah-compliant philosophy restricts the use of conventional influencers, further reducing its visibility among younger audiences.
The primary research phase built upon these understandings with a structured survey of 217 female respondents in Karachi. Results revealed that overall perceptions of J. were weak. Social Media Marketing scored the highest (2.38) as compared to other variables, but this did not translate into actual purchase intent. The strongest predictors of purchase decision were Brand-User Imagery (emotional connection with the brand) and Social Influence (peer/family opinion). In contrast, it was observed that traditional branding and social media ads were statistically insignificant in driving purchase intent.
Alongside survey analysis, store visits were conducted. Observations revealed that while J. offers the widest product assortment, but women’s section is outdated, poorly lit, and lacks engaging merchandising. Competitors offer balanced experience with modern layouts, strong instore signage, and customer-friendly pricing. This comparison reinforced the conclusion that J. lags competitors in store design, visual merchandising, women-focused innovation, and experiential retailing.
Based on these insights, the project recommends strategic recommendations benchmarked against both global and local fashion retailers. These include introducing a modest Western wear line to attract young, urban women; revamping visual merchandising via thematic displays and mannequins; strengthening e-commerce and digital trust with features like reviews and size guides; creating a sub-brand for women; embracing community-driven marketing via microinfluencers and user-generated content (UGC); enhancing in-store services with stylists as well as customization kiosks; and creating loyalty programs with personalized rewards.
In conclusion, the findings highlight that J. is a heritage-rich brand but with untapped potential in the women’s wear segment. Its challenge lies in connecting tradition with trend, modesty with modernity, and emotional appeal with digital transformation. By implementing the recommended strategies, J. can reinforce its relevance among female consumers, improve brand equity, and secure a competitive edge in Pakistan’s fast-evolving fashion industry
HBL & IBA launch first-ever hackathon on ‘Agri Case Study’
No full textHBL, in partnership with IBA Karachi, organized the first-ever hackathon under its University Alliance Programme, introducing a jointly developed ‘Agri Case Study’ centered on Pakistan’s dairy sector. The event aimed to inspire students to create innovative, technology-driven solutions for agricultural challenges. A three-member IBA team won for their outstanding idea and received a ‘Golden Pass’ to HBL’s League Internship and Management Trainee Programme, along with a cash prize. The initiative strengthens industry-academia collaboration to foster leadership and innovation in Pakistan’s agriculture
Building inclusive supply chains under CPEC: Voices from the ground
No full textWe examine the challenge of building inclusive supply chains within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), focusing on its implementation in the port city of Gwadar. The study assesses the disconnect between the project\u27s macro-level economic ambitions and the micro-level experiences of the local community, using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for poverty, infrastructure, and inequality as a benchmark. Adopting a qualitative approach, this research draws on in-depth interviews with diverse local stakeholders, including fishers, traders, and community leaders, to capture the voices from the ground. The findings reveal that CPEC must do substantial work in order to achieve inclusive supply chain benchmarks. Instead of integrating local actors, the project has fostered a wall of mistrust rooted in a lack of communication and the systematic exclusion of local businesses and labor from economic opportunities. This has disrupted traditional livelihoods, particularly the local fishing industry, while new infrastructure developments have not addressed the community\u27s needs for basic services like water and electricity. These outcomes are in direct conflict with CPEC\u27s potential to reduce poverty and inequality as envisioned by the SDGs. The study concludes that while the local population is not against development, their unaddressed grievances create a significant strategic risk, as their discontent could be exploited by hostile actors. For CPEC to achieve long-term success, a fundamental shift toward a community-centric and genuinely inclusive supply chain strategy is essential