Dr Ayesha Siddiqa

An author of two books on defense decision-making and political-economy of military, Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa has 17 years work experience in research and writing, consulting and public sector management.

Dr. Siddiqa graduated from Kinnaird College, Lahore, Masters from Punjab University and her doctorate in War Studies from King’s College, London. Her first book titled ‘Pakistan’s Arms Procurement and Military Buildup, 1979-99 In Search of a Policy’ (published by Palgrave Press, UK – 2001) is the first detailed analysis of defense decision-making in Pakistan. Her second book ‘Military Inc, Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy’ (Pluto Press, UK  April 2007) looks into the various forms of military’s economy around the world and extent of Pakistan military’s power. She is also a regular columnist for the English daily ‘Dawn’ . She also contributes to international academic journals and was the correspondent for the prestigious ‘Jane’s Defence Weekly’ (2003-2004) which is published from the UK and widely read by the armed forces and the strategic community all over the world.

Dr. Siddiqa was also the first Pakistan Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC, USA and has been a Ford Fellow, and a research fellow at the Cooperative Monitoring Center, Sandia National Laboratories, USA. She was also the recipient of the esteemed Mehboobul Haq, Kodikara and Asia Foundation research awards. Besides her career in research and writing, she has also served as a civil servant (1988-01). During this period she also had the distinction of being the first women and civilian to serve as Director of Naval Research for Pakistan Navy.

Dr Siddiqa's presentation at the Countering Militancy in Pakistan: Domestic, Regional and International Dimensions Conference was, The Expanding Frontier of Terrorism in Pakistan.