Australia Awards South and West Asia

Australia Awards alumna Rizwana Qazi is currently working as Pakistan’s Trade and Investment Counsellor in Kazakhstan, helping enhance trade between the two countries. Given Pakistan’s strategic economic ties with Central Asia, which are significant for regional connectivity and trade, this is an important assignment.

Rizwana (front row, second from left) with the batch of Trade and Investment officers in Islamabad in 2024.

Rizwana belongs to a traditional Sindhi family and was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest metropolis. She completed a Bachelor of Law and a Master of Economics at the University of Karachi, followed by multiple professional development courses. Rizwana’s public service journey began in 2002, when she passed the Central Superior Services exam and was placed in the federal bureaucracy.

Her journey towards excellence did not end there. She knew that she must acquire further education to achieve her goals. “When I reviewed the Australia Awards – Pakistan website, I instantly realised that [the Australia Awards Scholarship] perfectly aligned with my goals,” says Rizwana. She was particularly motivated by Australia Awards’ emphasis on inclusion and equal opportunities for all disadvantaged groups. “Australia Awards was not only a Scholarship, but a vision built on inclusion, values and respect, much suited to my aspirations,” she says.

Rizwana received her Australia Awards Scholarship in 2019 to pursue a Master of Public Policy at the Australian National University. The master’s degree enhanced her understanding of how governments around the world allocate resources and make economic development decisions. She gained insights into trade rules and how investments flow around the globe. “I witnessed how deeply government policies or decisions impact public service delivery and shape people’s lives,” she says.

Rizwana (third from left) pictured with lecturer Dr Sue Regan and classmates after a public policy session at the university.

The two-year course was eye-opening. “Studying at the Australian National University was truly an inspiring experience, both personally and academically,” says Rizwana. “The culture of diversity and inclusivity—coupled with open discussions, critical thinking and collaboration—helped me understand diverse perspectives. The Scholarship also helped me expand my professional networks worldwide and develop valuable friendships.”

Soon after her return to Pakistan, Rizwana joined the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Secretariat, which was mandated to help Pakistan exit the grey list maintained by FATF (an international policy-making and standard-setting body created in 1989 with the aim of combatting money laundering and terrorist financing). Her expertise helped her navigate FATF’s global standards and recommendations to contribute to Pakistan’s response strategy. She designed the first training program on Anti Money Laundering and Counter Financial Terrorism for key national institutions in Pakistan. “Pakistan’s eventual exit from the FATF grey list was a major milestone for my professional career,” Rizwana says; she credits her Australia Awards Scholarship for her achievement.

Rizwana (front row, right) pictured with Hina Rabbani Khar (front row, middle), then Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and other members of FATF.

Now Rizwana intends to focus on the emerging and disruptive field of artificial intelligence (AI). She strongly believes that emerging technologies like AI pose ethical challenges and should therefore be governed by policies and regulations. She hopes that AI is implemented responsibly, protecting societal values without affecting the natural momentum of technology.

Rizwana’s Australia Awards Scholarship was a life-transforming experience that she will always cherish, and she encourages mid-career professionals to apply for a Scholarship themselves. “For anyone considering the Australia Awards Scholarship,” she says, “my advice is that this Scholarship is a doorway to unlimited opportunity and transformative growth.”