PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency)

What PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency) does

PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency) is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank founded in 2001 and formally registered under Pakistan's Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 on September 19, 2002. The organization is headquartered in Islamabad with a secondary office in Lahore and operates with approximately 80 employees. Its work centers on strengthening democratic governance in Pakistan through policy research, parliamentary monitoring, electoral reform analysis, capacity building for legislators and political parties, and youth civic engagement — most notably via its flagship Youth Parliament Pakistan (YPP) program, which has completed 18 editions.

PILDAT's core offerings include objective policy research on legislation under review by Parliament and the Executive, regular parliamentary performance monitoring of the National Assembly, Senate, and Provincial Assemblies, thematic publications (over 1,524 to date), capacity building sessions (202 delivered), and a monthly Democratic Institutions Performance Update. The Youth Parliament Pakistan program simulates parliamentary proceedings for young leaders aged 18-29, and the organization runs a DYA (Distinguished Young Alumni) program to sustain engagement with program graduates. Distribution is primarily through the pildat.org website, a broad social media footprint (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter/X, YouTube, WhatsApp), email newsletters, and in-person forums, consultative sessions, and report launches.

The organization is funded through a diversified donor base of 49 partners, including grant funding from the European Union, UNODC, NACTA, danida, and the British High Commission, corporate support (notably Interloop Limited for the Women in Public Service report), and individual donations via the GlobalGiving platform. PILDAT does not sell products or services; revenue is not publicly disclosed. Its customers/beneficiaries are Pakistan's federal and provincial legislative institutions, political parties, civil society organizations, and youth participants, while revenue flows primarily from international development partners and bilateral donors.

Name

PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency)

Legal name

Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency

Website

https://pildat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PILDAT is an independent, non-partisan Pakistani think tank that produces policy research, monitors parliamentary performance, and runs civic engagement programs — most notably the Youth Parliament Pakistan — for federal and provincial legislatures, political parties, and youth across Pakistan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research and Advocacy

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), International Affairs (92812)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAFAO

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYBPADAGAA

Electoral Support & Election Observation

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Human Rights, Democracy & Governance

Keywords

• Democratic governance research
• Parliamentary monitoring services
• Policy advocacy think tank
• Youth civic engagement
• Electoral reform analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Islamabad

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: PILDAT accepts donations through GlobalGiving platform and directly, supporting its operations as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving governance and strengthening democracy in Pakistan.
2. Grant Funding: The organization receives funding from international development partners and donors including the European Union, UNODC, NACTA, and various bilateral donors such as danida and the British High Commission for specific projects.
3. Corporate Partnerships: PILDAT receives support from corporate entities like Interloop Limited for specific research initiatives such as the report on women in public service.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

PILDAT is an independent, non-partisan think tank that conducts political and public policy research on democratic governance in Pakistan. Its core offerings include the Youth Parliament Pakistan (YPP) flagship civic engagement program, parliamentary monitoring of the National Assembly, Senate, and Provincial Assemblies, policy analysis on electoral reforms and governance, and capacity building sessions for legislators, political parties, civil/military bureaucracy, women, and youth.

Product overview

PILDAT is an independent, non-partisan think tank offering a unified portfolio of policy research, advocacy, and civic engagement services rather than a technology product platform. The core offering centers on democratic governance strengthening through Youth Parliament Pakistan (YPP) as the flagship youth program, supported by parliamentary monitoring reports, publications on democratic quality assessments, capacity building sessions, and the monthly Democratic Institutions Performance Update. These services collectively form an integrated approach to improving governance through research, citizen engagement, and institutional development, distributed via publications, events, and newsletter subscriptions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Youth Parliament Pakistan (YPP): A flagship youth leadership and civic engagement program of PILDAT that brings together young leaders from across Pakistan to simulate parliamentary processes and develop democratic skills. The 18th edition was ongoing as of 2025.

Products and services

• Youth Parliament Pakistan (YPP)
• Parliamentary Monitoring Service
• PILDAT Publications Library
• Democratic Institutions Performance Update

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,524 publications produced over 23 years of operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2025UNODC is the executing partner for the Youth Parliament Pakistan project on countering and preventing terrorism in Pakistan (Project CPTP). Country Representative Troels Vester delivered opening remarks, emphasizing the link between youth empowerment and preventing violent extremism.
• NACTA (National Counter Terrorism Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2025NACTA leads Project CPTP on countering and preventing terrorism in Pakistan, with PILDAT executing the Youth Parliament component. Director General (PVE) Omar Riaz served as judge in YPP final session, indicating deep institutional engagement.
• NED UniversityminorOthersNED University of Engineering and Technology listed as a partner institution, indicating collaborative engagement in academic/research activities.
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Development Programme has collaborated with PILDAT on multiple consultation forums regarding electoral reforms, including the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2021, and published articles by PILDAT President on political party manifestos.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Centre for Policy Research (CPR), India: An India-based policy think tank conducting research on governance, democracy, and institutional reform. Comparable as a South Asian regional peer with a similar think-tank model, even though it does not directly compete in Pakistan.
• Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India: A leading India-based think tank producing policy research on governance, foreign policy, and democratic institutions. Comparable as a South Asian policy research peer with similar publishing cadence and event programming.

Broad incumbents

• National Democratic Institute (NDI): A core international democracy-support organization with an active Pakistan program working on legislative strengthening, political party development, and civic participation — directly paralleling several of PILDAT's flagship mandates.
• International Republican Institute (IRI): A U.S.-based democracy-support organization with longstanding Pakistan programming on political party development, electoral reform, and youth engagement. Comparable as a global incumbent with overlapping product lines to PILDAT.
• International IDEA: An intergovernmental organization focused on democratic and electoral assistance globally, with active engagement in Pakistan. Comparable as an international incumbent working on electoral reforms, parliamentary development, and democratic governance.
• International Crisis Group: A global think tank producing research and policy analysis on conflict, governance, and democracy in fragile states, including Pakistan. Comparable as a broader-incumbent policy research organization with overlap in democratic governance themes.

Direct peers

• Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE): A Pakistan-based research institute conducting policy-oriented research on development and governance, with comparable think-tank structure, government engagement, and policy-publication cadence to PILDAT.
• Jinnah Institute: A Pakistan-based policy research organization focused on governance, security, and democratic challenges. Operates with similar think-tank model, audience, and donor mix to PILDAT, with overlapping focus on national security and political reform.
• Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI): An independent, Pakistan-based think tank conducting policy research on governance, democracy, and development. Highly comparable as a domestic peer operating in the same civic-space context with similar research and advocacy mandates.

Others

• Friedrich Naumann Foundation: A German foundation supporting liberal-democracy programs in Pakistan through civic education, political party engagement, and youth dialogue — operating as a funder/partner ecosystem actor adjacent to PILDAT's work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pildat
• YouTubeyoutube.com/pildatofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/pildat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pildat
• Instagraminstagram.com/pildatpak
• TikToktiktok.com/@pildatpak

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency)