Dr Wiqar Shah assumes charge as NIHCR director

Islamabad: Eminent historian Professor Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, chairman of the Department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, has assumed
the charge as director of the National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NIHCR), says a press release.
The NIHCR, Centre of Excellence, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, was established in December 1973. The institute has been entrusted with conducting research in history and culture of the Muslims of South Asia, Muslim Freedom Movement and the Islamic State of Pakistan. It has so far published over 125 titles in English, Urdu, Pashto, Seraiki and Persian besides holding several international and national conferences on history and culture of Pakistan.
Dr. Shah’s areas of specialisation include Modern South Asia, Afghanistan, Political Leadership in Pakistan, Tribal Areas of Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, Pashto Language and Literature and Gender Studies.
He has authored eleven books in English, Pashto and Urdu. He has been published extensively in the reputed international and national journals and gave many seminars/talks in the universities of UK, Germany, India, Middle East and Sri Lanka on the various aspects of society, culture and political history of South Asia.
Dr. Shah has a D.Phil in History from the University of Oxford (1997); M.Phil and MA in History from the University of Peshawar and MA in Pashto from the same university.
Later, he joined the NIHCR, Islamabad, as a Research Fellow. He joined the Department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University as Assistant Professor in 1990. In 1993, Dr. Shah went to the University of Oxford (UK) and completed his D.Phil in 1997. In 1999, Dr. Shah was awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship at the University of Heidelberg (Germany). He remained at the University of Heidelberg as Allama Iqbal Professor from August 2009 till August 2014.