The International Center for Refugee and Migration Studies (ICRMS) successfully conducted its Annual Research Awards Proposal Defense sessions for the Frontier Scholars Research Award (FSRA) and Emerging Scholars Research Award (ESRA) on April 23 and 24, 2025, at BUITEMS. The event commenced with a recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the introduction of participants and ICRMS staff, and welcoming remarks by the Director of ICRMS, Dr. Zahid Rauf, and a Haider Zaman, UNHCR representative. Five research topics were presented under two ESRA and three FSRA grants, each evaluated by a designated evaluator who will supervise the respective research projects until their completion. Following the presentations and question-and-answer sessions, the final shortlisting will be finalized after reviewing the final scores of the evaluators reviewing the research proposals and the researchers’ presentations.

Under the FSRA grants, the following researchers presented their proposals:

• “Analyzing the Role of Afghan Refugees in the Supply Chain of Pakistan” was presented by Dr. Junaid Ahmed (University of Peshawar) and Dr. Aziz Ahmed (BUITEMS)
• “Refugee Healthcare Access in Balochistan, Pakistan: Evaluating Disaster Response Policies” was presented by Dr. Hamid Ali (COMSATS University) and Dr. Fareeda Kibzai (University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore)
• “Refugee Labor Contribution in Natural Resource Extraction in Pakistan: A Case Study of Mining Sector in Balochistan” was presented by Dr. Prof. Junaid (PIDE), Dr. Hidayat Ullah Khan (BUITEMS), and Dr. Abdul Samad Kakar (University of Loralai)

For the ESRA grants, the following proposals were defended:

• “Between Precarity and Resistance: The Bio-politics of Afghan Refugees in Balochistan’s Urban and Rural Spaces” by Mr. Muhammad Arif (Bahauddin Zakariya University) and Mr. Muhammad Muhsin (Researcher PIDE)
• “Gendered Displacement: The Enduring Impact of Conflict and Migration on Afghan Women in Pakistan” by Mr. Samiullah (BUITEMS) and Ms. Aqsa Qazi (BUITEMS)

A distinguished panel of evaluators reviewed the defense presentations, carefully assessing the quality, rigor, and relevance of the proposed research projects. The panel included Dr. Syed Munawar Shah, Dean of Management Sciences, BUITEMS; Dr. Nabeel, Faculty Member, Management Sciences, BUITEMS; Dr. Hidayat Ullah Khan, Assistant Professor of International Relations, BUITEMS; Dr. Aurangzaib Alamgeer, Professor of International Relations and Dean of Social Sciences, BUITEMS; and Dr. Kamran Sami, Director ORIC, BUITEMS. Each evaluator meticulously evaluated the research proposals, provided constructive feedback, and assigned marks based on the academic merit and potential impact of the studies. Their expert judgment has been pivotal in identifying and shortlisting the most promising research projects for the ICRMS Annual Research Awards 2025.

Each evaluator has been assigned to oversee the progress of their respective grantees throughout the research cycle. The final selection and official awarding of grants have now been completed, based on the comprehensive evaluations and final scores submitted by the designated evaluators.

Reported by Nafisa Nasar
Program & Research Associate