Ijlal (penname Ijlal Hussainpur) holds a PhD from the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations, Quaid-i-Azam University. He is currently Director of the Silk Road Centre, an educational and cultural organization working to promote culture, heritage and cross-cultural connections for peace and progress. Ijlal is an experienced organization, project, and team leader in development having over 16 years of senior management experience with the government and donor-funded projects in Pakistan. He has worked as the project lead for large donor-funded education projects. In this role, he has led the rollout and successful implementation of complex nation-wide programs to achieve results. Together with project management, Ijlal has an extensive background in teaching and research. He has designed research and evaluation studies and developed program expansion strategies. He has a strong commitment to promote the understanding of Pakistan’s rich cultural, linguistic and religious heritage. For his PhD, Ijlal studied the cultural and religious significance of the Silk Road. His research on heritage protection issues and language development in Pakistan has appeared in academic journals and newspapers. Ijlal is a member of ICOMOS Pakistan, Religious Tourism Working Group of the National Tourism Coordination Board, and Society of Asian Civilizations Pakistan.