Social PolicyStatement of Credentials
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Introduction
AASA Consulting was
established in 1995 as a
multi-disciplinary firm with
the primary aim of
improving the lives of
people in Pakistan by
assisting the government,
donor agencies, NGOs and
other organizations working
in the development sector
of the country.
With over 20 years of rich
experience and the
successful completion of
high profile projects, we
remain a reliable partner of
first choice for many
leading organizations in the
country.
We provide a range of
social policy services with a
focus in our specialized
areas.
Our strength lies in the
ability to undertake work at
a national and international
level. We have a close - knit
and small, but committed
team that punches above its
weight. We pride ourselves
in empowering people,
enhancing and rewarding
performance and ensuring
the best results for our
partners and clients.
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Sectors
Water, Environment and Sanitation
Health and Population WelfareSocial Protection MicrofinanceEducation
Banking and Finance
Housing and Urban Development
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Services
Impact Assessment
Baseline & EndlineSurveys
Institutional DevelopmentField Research
Monitoring & Evaluation
Policy Formulation
Project Management Grants Management
Gender Studies
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Our Experience - Education
Project Brief
Independent Expert for Education Management
Organizations for Education and Literacy Department,
Government of Sindh: The Education and Literacy
Department, Government of Sindh, has outsourced the
operation and management of selected government schools
to private sector Education Management Organizations
(EMOs) under a public-private partnership arrangement.
AASA Consulting has been appointed as the Independent
Expert for three EMOs managing a total of 54 schools
across five districts of Sindh, and tasked with verifying and
monitoring the progress achieved at these schools as per
stipulated targets and timelines.
Sukkur, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Dadu and KhairpurDistricts covered
IE to 54 Schools
Project scope of work:
a) Facilitating the review, reporting and certification of all
activities associated with the fulfillment of KPIs to the
Government of Sindh, the EMOs, and the Independent
Auditor
b) Approving the annual management plan developed by the
EMOs
c) Supporting the EMOs and the Sindh Government in
designing of the reporting and other Monitoring, Evaluation
and Reporting (MER) tools
d) Facilitating the reviewing and approval of the parameters
for the Training Need Assessment (TNA) of the staff
e) Submitting quarterly reports to the Sindh Government and
other stakeholders on the performance of the EMOs
based on technical aspects
EMOs: TCF, IBA Sukkur & Charter for Compassion
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Our Experience - Education
Project Brief
Study on Willingness to Pay & Affordability: The study
estimated the willingness and affordability of households to pay
the tuition fee of children studying in the Citizens Foundation (TCF)
schools, through AASA Consulting recommending a location specific
fee. The study scope of work is as follows:
1) Designing the study methodology in consultation with the
client's team, including the assessment and analytical tools
2) Conducting household surveys in clusters representing mutually
selected locations where the client’s schools are present. A
total of 8,040 households were surveyed from 201 different
clusters under the study. A minimum of 1 client school from
each cluster was visited, to compliment the household surveys
3) Determining households’ affordability for children education
in each cluster independently
4) Determining households’ Willingness to Pay (WTP) in each
cluster independently
5) Undertaking periodic review meetings with the client’s study
team as and when required
This was a 5-month study, which resulted in the client being
provided a location specific fee and a survey tool which they
can utilize to independently complete the study in all client
school locations, nationwide.
5 monthsLength of study
8,040Households surveyed
201Schools surveyed
Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa & BalochistanGeographic coverage
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Impact Assessment Study of
Capacity Building of Teachers
Training Institutions and
Training of Elementary School
Teachers in Sindh Province,
Government of Sindh,
subcontracted by Grant
Thornton Consulting
Third Party Validation of
School Management
Committees in Schools in
Sindh, Government of Sindh,
subcontracted by
Grant Thornton Consulting
Third Party Validation
of Girls’ Stipend in
Schools in Sindh,
Government of Sindh,
subcontracted by Grant
Thornton Consulting
Evaluation of Long
Term Outcomes,
The British Council
Understanding the Size of
Computer Based
Exams/Testing Market &
Identifying Delivery Options to
Grow this Market in Pakistan,
The British Council,
subcontracted by Grant
Thornton Consulting
English Language
Testing Needs Survey
in Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri
Lanka and Kazakhstan,
The British Council
Monitoring and
Evaluation of
Education Sector
Reform Assistance
Program, USAID
Funding Proposal and
Workshop for IBA Center of
Excellence, IBA
Voice of IBA -
Employee Climate
Survey, IBA
Development of a
Five Year
Comprehensive
Business Plan,
Teachers Resource
Center
Strategic Planning,
Pakistan Coalition for
Education
Impact Evaluation of the
Sindh Education
Foundation (SEF) Pilot
Promoting Private
Schools in Rural Sindh
Program (PPRS)
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Our Experience - Social Protection
Project Brief
Targeting Survey – National Socio Economic
Registry (NSER) Update – Phase 1, Benazir
Income Support Program (BISP), Cluster C
(Sindh & Baluchistan): Following AASA Consulting’s
successful completion of poverty scorecard surveys
across 6 districts of Pakistan, BISP engaged AASA
Consulting to conduct a nationwide survey to
update their NSER.
The Objective of this project is to collect 100%
household data in 6 districts (3 in Sindh and 3 in
Baluchistan) with the help of a Proxy Means Testing
(PMT) based Poverty Scorecard, observing standard
protocols, procedures, guidelines and manuals to be
prescribed by BISP, and to undertake
communication and social mobilization activities in
the selected districts, to ensure effective and
efficient implementation of the survey.
This was a watershed
study for BISP, through
the use of Computer
Assisted Personal
Interviewing (CAPI), in
which paper forms were
replaced by an Android
Application provided by
BISP.
DistrictHouseholds Covered
Area Coordinators
SupervisorsSocial
MobilizersEnumerators
Field Office Staff
Thatta 304,662 5 24 24 224 4
Jacobabad 220,014 4 15 15 153 4
Sukkur 204,278 3 20 20 200 4
Kech 68,432 1 5 5 51 4
Nasirabad 43,112 3 5 5 42 4
Killa Saifullah 29,692 2 8 8 22 4
Total 870,190 18 77 77 692 24
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Our Experience - Social Protection
Poverty Scorecard Survey in Multiple Districts, Benazir
Income Support Program (BISP), World Bank and
Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF): BISP is
Pakistan’s largest social safety net program, which cannot
function effectively without reliable household data. AASA
Consulting conducted household surveys for BISP in 6
different districts during which more than 550,000
households were surveyed using the national poverty
scorecard. AASA Consulting was subcontracted
by Grant Thornton Consulting for 4 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
districts. A substantial number of field staff were hired,
trained and monitored in each district as data collection
had to be conducted within a month. Since the shortlisting
of program beneficiaries is done using the household data,
multilayered monitoring mechanisms were designed and
implemented throughout the project to ensure the accuracy
of the collected data.
District Ghotki Sanghar Bannu Upper Dir Kohistan Shangla
Households Covered
80,000 125,000 99,867 98,803 81,010 83,356
EnumeratorsTrained
200 400 293 350 300 307
Project Brief
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Baseline Study Balochistan
under Multi Donor Trust Fund
for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA
and Balochistan, World Bank
Enhancing Access and Rural
Electrification - Cost, Benefits
and Willingness to Pay for
World Bank
Effective, Poverty Focused
Investment Strategy in
Punjab (Component 1) for
Asian Development Bank
Impact Assessment of PPAF
Communities and Skills
Training Programs delivered
to Civil Society
Organizations/Non
Government Organizations,
PPAF
Situation Analysis and
Baseline Surveys for Poverty
Reduction through Rural
Development in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and
Balochistan, PPAF
Assistance in Monitoring
and Verification Activities
in the Dir District
Development Program
Project, UNDCP
Self Help Program,
USAID
Project Monitoring of the
Provisions Introduced by ILO
for Eradication of Child
Labour Usage in the Sports
Industry
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Our Experience - Health and Population Welfare
Baseline Survey of Implementation of the Nutrition-
Sensitive Component (ER-3) of the Programme for
Improved Nutrition in Sindh (PINS) for Rural Support
Programmes Network (RSPN): The Programme for
Improved Nutrition in Sindh (PINS) is a four-year
programme that will be implemented in selected unions
council of ten (10) districts across Sindh by the Rural
Support Programmes Network (RSPN) in association with
other partners (including Action Against Hunger, National
Rural Support Programme, Sindh Rural Support Programme,
and Thardeep Rural Development Programme).
This Project is part of an overall impact assessment and
evaluation study of the third component (Expected Result
No. 3) of PINS, which focuses on improved community-level
WASH (including infrastructure and behavioural change) and
nutrition-sensitive food production systems adapted to
climate change in rural areas.
AASA Consulting was conducting a baseline study comprising
of village surveys and household surveys using a purpose-
built Data Collection Module and Dashboard (developed in-
house, to ensure progress and process monitoring) across
fifty (50) selected Union Councils of the ten districts. More
than 50 duly trained field team personnel (including District
Supervisors and Enumerators) have been mobilized for the
Project.
Project Brief
5,000Households surveyed using CAPI
176FGDs
Dadu, Jamshoro, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Larkana, Matiari, Sujawal, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, and ShikarpurGeographic coverage
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Our Experience - Health and Population Welfare
Project Brief
Benchmark Survey for Issues Related to Reproductive
Health Initiatives for Youth in Asia (RHIYA), United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): This was a nationwide
survey covering the districts of Chakwal (Punjab),
Jacobabad (Sindh), Kohat (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Killa
Saifullah (Balochistan). The purpose of this survey was to
improve the reproductive health status of young people
between the ages 15-24 in both, urban and rural areas.
AASA Consulting provided useful information on issues
otherwise difficult to investigate, such as awareness of
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and use of
contraceptive methods. Households in both urban and rural
areas were surveyed through random sampling, which
increased the difficulty of getting responses from women.
AASA Consulting was successful in collecting reliable data
through innovative methods to engage respondents and the
extensive training of field staff.
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Technical Assistance for
Capacity Building in Midwifery,
Information and Logistics,
USAID
Policy Options for Financing
Health Services in Pakistan,
Health Financing &
Sustainability Project,
USAID/Abt Associates
Training Workshops for
Health Financing and
Sustainability Project for
USAID and Federal Ministry
of Health, Pakistan
Baseline View: Out of
Pocket Health Expenditure,
District Faisalabad for BISP
Health Insurance Program,
World Bank
Data Collection for Protecting
Pakistan’s Poor Against Health
Shocks in Disasters, World
Bank
Review of the Personnel
Management System for the
Government of Sindh’s Social
Action Program Project,
World Bank
Healthcare Development
Project/Northern Health
Project funded by
World Bank
Health Financing and
Sustainability Project -
Feasibility for Development of
Private Health Insurance in
Papua New Guinea
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Report on Long Term
Operational
Assistance for
Children’s Hospital,
Quetta
Review of
Operations and
Strategy, Al Razi
Healthcare
Health Maintenance
Organization System
for AsiaCare
Mid -Term Assessment of
the Pakistan Initiative for
Mothers and Newborns,
Project for Pakistan
Voluntary Health and
Nutrition Association
Reproductive Health
Profile Study for
Takhtbhai, Kohat and
Bannu for Pakistan
Voluntary Health and
Nutrition Authority
Workshop On ‘Managing
Critical Hospital
Resources - People &
Finances’ for Children’s
Hospital, Government Of
Balochistan
Third Party Evaluation of
Autonomous Hospitals for
the Government of Punjab
Children’s Hospital, Quetta
Third Party Evaluation -
Balochistan Nutrition
Program for Mothers and
Children (BNPMC) Project,
Government of
Balochistan
Sub-consultancy Contract
for Combined Effluent
Treatment Plant (CETP)
Phase 1 for M3 Industrial
City, Faisalabad
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Pakistan Healthcare Corporation
Evaluating the Demand for
Health Services for Aga Khan
Health Service Pakistan
Focus Group for Aga
Khan University Hospital
Community Health Financing
Sustainability Study for Aga
Khan Health Services,
Pakistan
Development of a Strategic
Plan for a 100 Bed for
Murshid Hospital and Health
Care Centre, Karachi
Technical and
Operational Restructuring
of Orthopedic and
Medical Institute Karachi
Survey of General
Practitioners on Family
Planning Practices for
Greenstar Social Marketing,
Pakistan
Feasibility Report on
Network Based Health
Care System for
Pakistan Healthcare
Corporation
Situation Analysis and
Marketing Survey of
Intrauterine Devices in
Karachi for Population
Services International,
Pakistan
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Our Experience - Gender
Project Brief
Gender Differences: Understanding Perceptions,
National Baseline Study for Aurat Foundation, USAID:
AASA Consulting conducted a nationwide baseline study for
the Gender Equity Program (GEP) supported by USAID. The
study was designed to benchmark existing knowledge,
attitudes and practices, which were later used to assess
progress towards GEP objectives. The survey recorded
information on key issues with respect to women’s rights,
women’s access to justice and institutions, women’s
empowerment and gender based violence.
The survey was the first of its kind in recording responses
for the same questions from male and female household
members. The responses of male and female members were
then compared. The survey was conducted using both
quantitative and qualitative survey instruments, which
consisted of social and economic indicators of gender
equity.
The study also comprised of diverse multi-stakeholder
surveys (focus group discussions, key opinion maker
interviews and case studies).
Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Gilgit - BaltistanGeographic Coverage
11,273Respondents
43Focus Group Discussions
53Key Opinion Maker Interviews
15Case Studies
6 monthsProject
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Gender Assessment for
USAID’s Office of Economic
Growth and Agriculture
Nationwide Gender
Analysis for Office of
Stabilization and
Governance for USAID
UNICEF Analysis of
Madadgar Data on Human
Rights Violations
Review of Gender Policy
Issues for Employer
Federation of Pakistan
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Our Experience - Field Research
Project Brief
Study on Profiling and Segmenting the Road Transport
(Logistics) Sector and Assessment of Informal
Financing, Karandaaz Pakistan: The primary aim of the
assignment was to provide formal financial institutions
insights into the sector. This enabled the designing of
suitable products and services to formalize lending and
grow the portfolio of financial services available to the
sector. The objectives were to establish:
(i) Bankability potential of the sector
(ii) Segmentation in the sector
(iii) The growth potential and economics of the sector
The study provided valuable information on the following
aspects of the transportation sector:
(i) Sector sizing, profiling and segmentation
(ii) Policy and regulatory framework
(iii) Sector economics
(iv) Sources of financing and mechanics
This was a country-level study based on an analysis of
both, secondary data and information, and primary data
collected through a nation-wide survey, engaging all
pertinent stakeholders. During the course of the study, more
than 5000 stakeholders were interviewed including: truck
drivers, truck owners, service providers, etc. The study was
completed in approximately 7 months.
Karachi, Lahore & Peshawar
Geographical Coverage
5140
Vehicle Owner Interviews150
Key Informant Interviews6
Focus Group Discussions
54
Field Team Members
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Our Experience - Field Research
Project Brief
Pakistan Off - Grid Lighting Consumer Perception
Study, IFC/World Bank: AASA Consulting was
subcontracted by Grant Thornton Consulting for this study.
The project aimed to accelerate the development of
commercial off-grid lighting markets in Pakistan, as part of
the World Bank’s wider efforts to improve access to energy.
The major objectives of the study were to:
1) Provide valuable socio-economic information pertaining
to ultra-poor households
2) Estimate the size of the national off-grid population
3) Estimate the willingness-to-pay of ultra-poor households
for pico (domestic) solar products
Under the project, AASA Consulting developed research
tools, conducted primary (direct surveying, focus group
discussions and expert interviews) and secondary research,
managed data and presented their findings to IFC. This
research designed a consumer awareness campaign,
assisted and attracted new companies to the market,
provided guidance for market entry and strategy and a
source of lighting to millions of underprivileged
households.
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Market Research on
Home Textiles and
Garments for Dawood
Group of Industries
Brand Audit of Lawrencepur
Brand for Dawood Group
Consumer Survey for
Lawrencepur Textiles
Third Party Validation
- Water Environment
and Sanitation,
UNICEF
Water Environment and
Sanitation Baseline Survey
in Sindh for UNICEF
Decentralization Support
Program, Improving Solid
Waste Management
Services at Town
Municipal Administration
Level, Government of
Sindh
KAP Study on Rural
Water Supply and
Sanitation for
Government of AJK
Market Assessment and
Prototype Product Design
for the Low Income
Housing Finance Market in
Pakistan for Acumen Fund
Nationwide Comparative
Research of the Outreach
Clinical Laboratory Market
in Pakistan for Aga Khan
University Hospital
Multiple Consumer
Profile Studies For
Lakson Tobacco
Company, Pakistan
PTCL - Monitoring of
Services/Mystery Shopping
Survey for PTCL Help Line
and Customer Service
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Fact-Finding Study on the
Regulatory Requirements
for Import and Export
Cargoes for Japan
International Cooperation
Agency
Pakistan - Manufacturing
Establishments Survey
“Towards Vision 2030:
Direction of Industrial
Development in Pakistan”
for Japan International
Cooperation Agency
Aman Foundation
Brainstorming Session
with Social Sector Experts
Generic Pharmaceutical
Industry Survey for ABS
Swiss Pharmaceutical
Emerging Markets
“Discovery” Research -
Pakistan, Citibank
Pakistan Wood Product
Market Research for
British Columbia Based,
Forestry Innovation
Investment (FII) Ltd.
Marketing Survey for
Compost Fertilizer
Plant
Market Sizing Survey
for Greaves PakistanService Demand
Assessment for Eva Air
ABS Swiss
Pharmaceutical
Compost
Fertilizer Plant
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Chinese Impact on
the Pakistan
Pesticides Market for
Investructure -
Belgium
Customer Satisfaction
Survey for Shell Pakistan
Limited
Service Demand
Assessment for Olympic
Airways
Standard Chartered
Bank Mystery
Shoppers Survey
Multiple Customer
Satisfaction Surveys -
Market Research Study of
Standard Chartered Bank’s
Customers in Major Cities
of Pakistan
Consumer Banking Study
- Research Study For
American Express Bank
Market Sizing Study
for Pak Global Star
(Pvt) Limited
Focus Group Discussions
and Quantitative Analysis
to Determine User
Perception, CyberNet
Internet Services
Surf Detergent Baseline
Survey for Lever Brothers,
Pakistan Ltd.
Investructure -
Belgium
Pak Global
Star Pvt Ltd
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Our Experience - Institutional Development
End of Project Brief
Capacity Building of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
for Malakand Rural Development Project (MRDP), Asian
Development Bank: Our services were engaged for a 2
year project with a focus on capacity building of CSOs. Our
scope of work entailed interaction with selected CSOs in
the Malakand region and the government line departments
to develop a detailed capacity building plan for MRDP. The
project required a review, assessment and stratification
of existing community support strategies and building the
capacity of the implementing CSOs so they could be
transformed into a District Rural Support program (RSP).
This also included undertaking a training needs assessment
and the development of training modules for CSO staff
members.
In addition, we were assigned the task of providing on-the-
job training by assisting and supervising community
organization processes, preparing comprehensive
assessment and recommendations on the institutional and
managerial capacity for the implementation partners, and
the success of the adopted strategy. The key outputs of
the project included development of a capacity building
strategy, over 25 training sessions, development of policy
and procedures for administration, procurement, accounting
and human resource management, as well as extensive
community needs assessment reports. There were 20 full
time experts deployed by us over the course of the
project.
Our institutional development experience includes capacity building, organizational development, training, recruitment, governance, and strategic planning.
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Development of
Recruitment Manual
for UNDP Project
Staff, Pakistan
Review and Training of
Personnel and Performance
Management for the Project
Cycle Operations Manual
for UNDP
Devolution Support Study
for the National
Reconstruction Bureau -
UNDP
UNDP funded
Evaluation Test of
Election Officers for
Election Commission
of Pakistan
Provision of Training
Coordinators for
UNDP/Election Commission
of Pakistan
Development of a Strategic
Direction for Sindh
Agricultural and Forestry
Workers Coordinating
Organization
Development of Job
Analysis for Save the
Children Fund
Workshop On ‘Project
Management’ for
Sustainable
Development Policy
Institute, Islamabad
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Strategic Planning
2010-2015 Study for
State Bank of
Pakistan
Management/HR
Development Program
under Technical Assistance
for Banking Sector for the
State Bank of Pakistan
Technical Assistance on
the Micro - Financing
Program for NGOs/MFIs,
Rural Community
Development Society
Workshop on Good
Governance for
Children’s Hospital,
Government of
Balochistan
Review of Aga Khan
Rural Support Program
Job Evaluation Process
Review of Aga Khan Rural
Support Program Human
Resource Management
Process
Implementation of Organizational
Restructuring in Multan Electric Power
Company (MEPCO), Pakistan, USAID funded
Power Distribution Program
Organizational Assessment and Restructuring
for MEPCO, USAID funded Power Distribution
Program
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Our Experience - Banking and Finance
Employee Opinion
Survey
Designing Human
Resource Management
Strategy 2008-2010
Developing Job
Profiles & Conducting
Job Evaluations for
Karachi Stock
Exchange
Due Diligence of RBS HR
Functions (Cricket) for
EFG Hermes
Buy Side Due Diligence
of Human Resource
Management of Allied
Bank Limited for Askari
Bank
Management Audit
of Zarai Taraqiati
Bank Limited
Compensation and
Benefits Study for Pak
Kuwait (Pvt) Limited
Salary Survey for Pak
Oman
Diagnostic Study of the
Human Resource
Management System and
Development Assessment of
Key Personnel
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Our Clients
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Our Core Team
Zohair AshirChief Executive
Riaz Hussain Director –
Social Policy & Research
Dr. Akbar Zaidi Advisor, Economics
Birjis JaleelDirector, Operations
Haroon JamalAdvisor, Statistics &
Econometrics
Meher NoshirwaniAdvisor, Sociology &
Gender
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Komal HakimAliAssistant Manager
Adnan SherHead, Field Operations
Faizan Hashmi Manager Muhammad Safdar
Senior Officer
Huma KhanAdvisor, Education
Minhajuddin SiddiquiHead, Data Analytics
Our Core Team
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For further information, please contact:
Birjis Jaleel
Director
M: +92 (0) 302 2292692
T: +92 (0) 21 35171481-4
W: www.aasaconsulting.com
© 2019 AASA Consulting (Pvt.) Ltd. All rights reserved.www.aasaconsulting.com