By Adnan Rafique
ISLAMABAD: Senior Advisor on SDGs at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dr. M. Aman Ullah on Tuesday said it was crucial for think tanks to maintain independence and avoid politicization through ensuring diversified funding sources, transparency in operations, independent peer review and revalidation, and public discourse of its research findings.
The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) held an insightful Policy Research Clinic on the pivotal role of think tanks in government policy-making, led by Dr. M. Aman Ullah, Senior Advisor on SDGs at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The session, titled “Which are the Star Think Tanks for a Government: Listening from an Insider,” shed light on the significance of think tanks in shaping public policy and the challenges they face in influencing government actions, policy-making, and legislation.
In his lecture, Dr. M. Aman Ullah emphasized the critical role think tanks play in government decision-making, particularly in complex environments like Pakistan, which grapples with political instability and the absence of economic development. He highlighted that without political stability, economic progress and investments remain unattainable.
The UNDP Senior Advisor underscored the importance of think tanks in bridging the gap between policy formulation and implementation, especially in light of significant milestones such as the Seventh NFC Award and the 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2009.
During the session, he provided a detailed analysis of the different types of think tanks that operate within Pakistan and globally.
He categorized them into four main types: Independent Think Tanks, Government-affiliated Think Tanks, University-based Think Tanks, and Advocacy Think Tanks.
Each type serves a unique function in research and analysis, public engagement, advocacy, policy formulation, and capacity building, he added.
He further elaborated on the geographical distribution of think tanks, noting that Pakistan, with only 33 think tanks, lags significantly behind countries like the United States and China, which have 2,203 and 1,413 think tanks respectively.
Dr. Aman Ullah expressed concerns over the parallel model in Pakistan’s development sector, where global donor agencies fund think tanks, potentially leading to reliance on external influences rather than homegrown solutions.
The discussion also touched upon the challenges think tanks in Pakistan face, such as limited access to policymakers, funding constraints, bureaucratic resistance, and the prevalence of information silos.
The UNDP Senior Advisor on SDGs stressed the need for think tanks to enhance social networking and coordination with government agencies to gain a foothold in the policy-making process. He also called for the establishment of think-tank chapters at the provincial level to foster localized policy development.
Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, Joint Executive Director of SDPI, praised the session for its enlightening dialogue and actionable recommendations. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between think tanks, development partners, and government entities to enhance the quality of policy development. Dr. Ahmed also highlighted the need for civil service reforms and improved local government infrastructure to support effective policy implementation.
The session concluded with a call for increased collaboration and partnership between think tanks, academic institutions, and government bodies. Dr. Aman Ullah urged think tanks to focus on evidence-based research, strategic communication, and active participation in policy dialogues to ensure their recommendations are considered and implemented.
The SDPI Policy Research Clinic provided a platform for generating new research ideas and themes, with a follow-up debrief session planned to further explore these concepts.
