Ali Bin Mehmood

 

Assistant Chief

Planning and Development Department

Government of Balochistan, Pakistan

One-year Master’s of Public Policy Program (’15)

 

 

 

 

Please tell us about your career path so far. What is your area of specialization and how did you come to work in this area?

I am an economist by profession. My first job was in the banking industry, after the completion of my bachelor’s degree in business and information technology at Staffordshire University UK in 2004. I then developed an interest in the field of finance and economics and obtained a Master of Business Administration in 2007. I subsequently joined the Pakistan government service in 2011 and in 2014, I availed the MEXT scholarship and completed my Master of Public Policy degree from GRIPS in 2015. I have recently been promoted as Assistant Chief of Section at the Planning and Development Department, Government of Balochistan.

 

You have just finished your posting as a Professional Fellow of the U.S.A. State Department for Governance and Society in Washington DC. Please tell us more about the program and your activities in the US.

The Professional Fellows Program offers promising young professionals the opportunity to gain practical experience in, and exposure to, United States government. Participants exchange ideas and best practices, while also improving leadership skills and developing sustainable and enduring linkages with professional counterparts.

 

During my fellowship in Washington DC, my placement was at the Form-Based Code Institute at Smart Growth America which is a non profit dynamic organization mainly working on urban planning, transportation and economic development. During my placement, I was part of the project for Review of Zoning for Leesburg Crescent Design District. Besides, I also had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience on policy grading for Complete Streets Policies, a transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities regardless of their mode of transportation.

 

What are some of the biggest challenges you have been facing during your time in the US? And what have been the most interesting or rewarding aspects?

The fellowship was during October and November 2018, so the cold weather was the first challenge that affected me on a daily basis. Besides, during the placement the biggest challenge was to cope, quickly adapt and learn the advanced level tools, techniques, concepts and technologies being used as best practices in the USA in just 4-5 weeks. So, gathering a huge volume of knowledge in a short span of time was the biggest challenge.   

 

Being a guest of the U.S. State Department, meeting important political and bureaucratic dignitaries, networking with like-minded professionals, observing the DC elections of 6^th November 2018 are some of the interesting and rewarding aspects of the fellowship.

 

What did you enjoy most about living in Washington DC?

Washington DC is a nice place to live. The best thing about DC is that it’s a place of availing opportunities by networking and meeting new people. A lot of events happen every day about different national and international issues where, one could meet new people to interact and lay foundations of future partnerships. Besides, being the capital city, there are a lot of historical places and museums to visit through which one can learn a lot about many historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Smithsonian etc.

 

What led you to GRIPS? What is the most important thing you got out of your studies here, and how has your experience at GRIPS prepared you for future endeavours?

GRIPS being a premier policy studies institute, it was a place where I got connected to the world. Government officers and other professionals from different parts of the world were part of a single program and we all are still in contact. GRIPS provided me with various opportunities to learn new skills and concepts prevalent in Japan. Through the courses we gained academic knowledge whereas, the GRIPS Forum provided an insight in various political, historical, cultural and technological fields. Finally, the thing that mainly prepared me for future endeavours was the refinement of my research and report writing skills through the research thesis that I did during my studies at GRIPS.

 

How do you maintain a balance between your work and the rest of your life? And what is your favourite thing to do when you are not working?

I try to keep the balance as much as I can. I have marked weekends specifically for friends and family. During weekdays, I regularly go to the gym for workouts and like to spend time with my family.

 

What are some of your fondest memories of your time spent at GRIPS? And what do you miss about Japan?

There are a lot of memories of my time at GRIPS and Japan. I really miss the different parties organized by GRIPS and the fun we had. I miss everything from Japan, be it the onsen, snow boarding, Japanese culture and Japanese people’s politeness, nature’s beautiful gifts or technologies.

 

If you could give one piece of advice to anyone considering studying at GRIPS what would it be?

I would advise people to gather as much knowledge as possible from GRIPS. Instead of just completing the minimum credits, one should avail maximum credits by enrolling in subjects that are of interest to someone. Similarly, GRIPS Forum is a platform to gain knowledge that is not necessarily academic but very useful and interesting because of being so diverse.

 

How would you like to maintain involved with the School? What do you expect from GRIPS as an alumnus and do you have any suggestions on how to further utilize the GRIPS alumni network?

I would like to be involved with GRIPS in every way possible. I usually recommend people in my social circle to opt for GRIPS for their degrees in policy studies.

 

A suggestion and expectation would be to organize a congress with the GRIPS Alumni once in a reasonable time either regionally or in Japan where the alumni could interact with each other. We are GRIPS Alumni but the contact with each other except for friends is nonexistent. I believe if the alumni were given an opportunity to meet each other, new ideas and partnerships could emerge.