PIDE launches Internship Cohort 2026 to support trillion-dollar economy vision

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jul, 2026) The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Wednesday launched its Internship Cohort 2026, welcoming 140 interns selected from 62 universities across Pakistan and abroad for research and policy training.

The institute linked the initiative with Pakistan's vision of achieving a trillion-dollar economy by 2035 under URAAN Pakistan, saying it aims to nurture young talent through evidence-based research, policy engagement and professional training to support the country's development agenda.

Speaking at the inaugural session, PIDE Vice Chancellor and Member of the Planning Commission of Pakistan Dr Nadeem Javaid said Pakistan stood at a critical juncture and required evidence-based, people-centred policymaking to address key development challenges, including the youth bulge, weak export performance, low human capital, climate vulnerability, energy constraints, social disparities, policy discontinuity and fiscal pressures.

He said Pakistan's development challenge was not merely economic but also a human development emergency, stressing that countries investing in education, skills development, population management, women's workforce participation and export competitiveness had achieved sustained economic progress.

He urged the interns to think critically and contribute innovative ideas to support national transformation, better governance and effective policymaking.

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Earlier, Dean (Policy Advocacy) Dr Faheem Jehangir said the internship programme received 4,883 applications from Pakistan and abroad.

Following a rigorous selection process involving 14 interview panels, 278 candidates were shortlisted and 140 interns were selected for placement in 14 research centres, technical sections and Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects.

He said the selected cohort represented 62 universities, with participants from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and overseas institutions.

The orientation session was also addressed by Dr Nasir Iqbal, Dr Karim Khan, Dr Shujaat Farooq, Dr Syed Hasanat Shah and Dr Nadeem Ahmed Khan, who introduced the interns to PIDE's structure, research, academic programmes, policy advocacy, outreach initiatives, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and its professional training ecosystem.

Welcoming the interns, the PIDE management emphasized that informed ideas lead to better policies, and better policies lead to a stronger and more sustainable future.

The management said the internship programme aimed to connect young talent with real policy challenges, expose participants to evidence-based research, and equip them with analytical, writing, communication and professional skills needed to contribute effectively to Pakistan's development process.