PNC Chairpersons


Khawar Mumtaz (1996 - 2001)

Khawar Mumtaz has a long and distinguished career in the field of environment, gender issues and human rights. She has served as a member of the National Core Group for Beijing follow up; the UNFPA Advisory Panel on Gender Development; Steering Committee of the International Irrigation Management Institute and was the Regional Councillor for West Asia, Chairperson PNC and Member Bureau of the IUCN. She is currently the Senior Coordinator of Shirkat Gah Women's Resource Centre and the Project Director of the Women and Sustainable Development Program of Shirkat Gah, an NGO in Pakistan dedicated to women's rights which combines advocacy and capacity-building.


Ali Akbar (2001 - 2003)

Ali Akbar is a social development professional who has worked in the UK and Pakistan on issues of race and equality, social justice, good governance and community empowerment. He has worked within and outside Pakistan, as Programme Director for VSO, with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). With CIDA, he helped transform a bilateral project into a body that has now become one of the largest development support NGOs in Pakistan, namely the Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO). Mr. Ali Akbar has served on the Board of The World Conservation Union as Councillor for West Asia and Chair of the IUCN's Pakistan National Committee.


Javed Jabbar (2003 - )

Javed Jabbar, Chair of the Pakistan National Committee for IUCN since 2003, also has the novel honor of being the Vice President (2005-2006) and Regional Councillor for IUCN in West-Asia (2005-2008). Mr. Jabbar brings a diversity of relevant perspectives and substantive experience in formulating and implementing public policy in diverse fields as a former Federal Minister and Senator, as well as in civil society initiatives. He devotes most of his working time to voluntary service to over 12 public interest organizations. Grass-roots development organizations that he has founded and led, now work with over 1600 village and urban communities throughout Pakistan directly engaged in water resources management, agriculture, conservation, poverty reduction and women empowerment.