From PSFD to PIFD

 Pakistan School of Fashion Design (PSFD), the premier Fashion Design Institute in Pakistan, started its humble beginning in a rented campus in 1994, as a Project of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan. The Vice-Chairman EPB, Late, Mr. Abu Shamim M. Ariff envisioned to establish the first Fashion School in the country.Mr. Ismail Qureshi, the Commercial Counselor in Paris, brought Mr. Oliver Lapidus, and Lahore was chosen to be the birth place of PSFD.

Mr. Lapidus was also instrumental in the ground breaking decision by the Federation of Haute Couture, for PSFD affiliation with the leading French School, L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Paris.  This initiative was implemented on ground by Mrs. Abbasi S. Akhtar, the first Principal of PSFD with the support of Madam Olga Saurat, Director, La Chambre and Ms. Shazia Wiqar, former student of La Chambre Syndicale. The faculty included Mr. Yasir Waheed, Ms. Maryse Faux, Ms. Angelika Kukla, Ms. Anila Qayum, Ms. Shama Saeed, and Mr. Philippe Germain-Vigliano. For the sustainability, PSFD was very fortunate to have the support of then    Minister of Commerce, Mr. Ahmad Mukhtar, and Secretary Commerce Mr. Salman Farooqui.

After 3 years, in 1996, Mrs. Naved Shahzad took over as Principal and the first Executive Committee (EC) was established with Mr. Ismail Khurram as its Chairman. The Institute was then supported by the Chairman, EPB, Mr. Khawaja Bilal, who was responsible for renewal of affiliation with L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la      Couture, Paris in 1998.

In 2001, Prof. Hina Tayyaba became the Principal and was given the task to renew  the School’s  affiliation with the French School. The new Director La Chambre, Mr. Francois Broca provided all out support in affiliation and improving the curriculum. The plan of establishing a purpose built campus was pushed into action with the support of then Vice-Chairman EPB, Mr. Ijaz Ahmad Qureshi, and Secretary Commerce Mr. Kamal Afsar. Financial system was introduced and implemented under the guidance of Chairman EC, Mr. Farrukh Hussain Sheikh, Mr. Pervaiz Hanif and Director General, EPB, Mr. Tariq Iqbal Puri. As chairperson of Finance Committee, Mr. Pervaiz Hanif contributed a lot in financial set up of the Institute and getting the unqualified bi-annual audit reports by Chartered Accountants, Ministry of Commerce Auditors and Auditor General of Pakistan.

In 2003, then Minister of Commerce, Mr. Hamayun Akhtar Khan, asked the Principal to devise strategy for building a new campus for PSFD.

The same year, Mr. Avais M. Hussain joined as Chairman of Executive Committee and worked closely with then Secretary Commerce, Mr. Tasneem Noorani and the Principal on their primary agenda to upgrade PSFD’s legal status and Financial Autonomy. Active and concrete support for possession of land was provided by Mr. Avais M. Hussain, Mr. Ismail Qureshi, Mr. Naved Akram Cheema, Mr. Kamran Lashari and Mr. Ikhlaq Tarar. Mr. Jehangir Tareen, went all out to get the land for the Institute in 2004, and it was acquired by the School in 2005.

The same year, with the support of Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mr. Akram Sheikh, the PC-1 for the construction of new campus was approved. Mr. Rana Shahzad took over as Project Director. An Implementation Committee was constituted with Director General, TDAP, Lahore, as Chairman to oversee progress of the project. As Director General, TDAP, Lahore, Mr. Haroon Rashid, Mr. Naved Arif, Mr. Agha Zafar Mehdi Shah and Mr.Muhammad Irfan Tarar have contributed a lot to the project.  

In 2005, program of Fashion Marketing and Merchandising was introduced in affiliation with Mod’spe Institute of Fashion Marketing, Paris. Mr.Jean-Pierre Mocho, President, Federation Francaise Du Pret a Porter Feminin, Mr. Rene Mardellet, Managing Director, Mod’spe and Mr. Jehanzeb Khan, then Commercial Counselor in France, were instrumental in the process.

In 2006, affiliation with La Chambre, Paris was renewed, and another PC-1 was made by Prof. Hina Tayyaba to introduce the concept of establishing 4 Schools having synergies with each other. Chairman EC, Mr. Avais  M.Hussain, Minister of Commerce, Mr. Hamayun Akhtar Khan, Secretary Commerce, Mr. Tasneem Noorani, and     Mr. Syed Asif Ali Shah fully supported the concept through to its materialization. Apart from Ministry of Commerce, all out support was also extended by Minister of Industries and Production, Mr. Jehangir Tareen, and CEO SMEDA, Mr. Shahab Khawaja. They invited the Institute to become part of strategic working groups, organized by Ministry of Industries and Production and supported by US Aid to work on different labour intensive sectors such as Gems and Jewellery, Furniture, Textiles, and Leather. The meetings of Trade Policy and Sector Development Groups contributed in giving concrete shape to the PC-1 for establishing 4 Schools and 6 programs. Mr. Shahbaz Ahmad, Economic Consultant, actively supported in giving final touches to PC-1 which was approved through the personal interest taken by then Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Syed Asif Ali Shah and his team.

In 2007, Ministry of Commerce, Chairman, EC and Principal made concerted efforts and succeeded in getting NOC from Higher Education Commission for Degree Awarding Status. In this process Minister of Commerce, Mr. Hamayun Akhtar Khan, Mr. Zahoor Hassan, Mr. Azmat Malik, Mr. Ata-ur-Rehman, Mr. Sohail Naqvi, Mr. Tariq Ikram, Mr. Syed Asif Ali Shah and Mr. Tasneem Noorani played a crucial and commendable role.

The same year, collaboration with Swedish School of Textiles, University Collage of Boras was made for student exchange and faculty training program. Mr. Javed Akbar, then Commercial Counselor along with Mr. Kenneth, Director International Relations, Swedish School of Textiles were helpful in the process.

In 2008, the school was re-named as Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD), and assumed legal status on getting registered under the Companies Ordinance 1984. Mr. Shahzada Alam Monnoo, then Minister of Commerce, helped in smooth transition of the Institute from Project to Company.

In 2009, Minister of Commerce, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Secretary Commerce, Mr. Salman Ghani, Chief Executive TDAP, Mr. Syed Mohibullah Shah, and Secretary TDAP, Mr. Mirza Karim Baig fully supported the Institute.   

Simultaneously, the tedious and time-consuming process of legislation for grant of Charter was effectively and ably negotiated by Mr. Zafar Mehmood then Secretary Cabinet. In the Standing Committee of the Parliament, Mr. Khurram Dastgir, Ms. Shereen Khan, Mr. Ishaq Dar and Mr. Haroon Akhtar fully supported the Bill for grant of Charter. The passage of Bill from the Parliament and its signing by the President of Pakistan culminated an arduous journey from School to Chartered Institute. The pursuit for excellence however continues.  

Lately Ministry of Commerce entrusted to PIFD and TDAP the responsibility of establishing 6 Constituent Colleges throughout Pakistan. The establishment of these 6 Constituent Colleges has been conceptualized and driven by Mr. Zafar Mehmood, Secretary Commerce. This will prove to be another journey for PIFD in the pursuit of its objectives.

These pages cannot do justice to the individuals and organizations that supported the Institute. Organizations are not built over night or by one single individual. They are built in decades and centuries, and their credibility and  sustainability owe a lot to many other individuals and groups, who work selflessly and untiringly in translating the concept into reality. In the case of PIFD, they include the faculty and staff of the Institute, and Ministry of Commerce.  We also thank all those whose names have not been mentioned but also made the Institute what it is today, and who gave it direction for tomorrow.  

PSFD alumni entered the market and were absorbed immediately. All eyes were on them and our talented graduate went on to launch extremely successful businesses and are pursuing rewarding careers in reputable organisations as creative directors, textile designers, merchandisers and pattern makers.

PSFD not only provided world class, well-rounded education, but also facilitated trade and commerce, thus helping to define the future of the local market. With new blood injected into the economy, there was mushroom growth and the textile and apparel sectors flourished.

PSFD grew from strength to strength and it was decided to extend similar support and value addition to the gems and jewellery, leather, and furniture industries of Pakistan as well.

Plans were soon underway to move to a much larger and custom-built facility and expand the academic portfolio to cater to these sectors.

The Pakistan School of Fashion and Design was given the nomenclature “Pakistan Institute of Fashion & Design” and incorporated under Section 42 of Companies Ordinance 1984, in 2008 under the sponsorship of Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design has been granted the Charter for degree awarding status by the National Assembly in November 2010.

This is a significant milestone in the endeavour to acquiring Charter status which will enable the establishment to provide students with an HEC recognised degree.

The proposal for grant of Charter as a recognised National Institute was processed by Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Law, HEC, Cabinet Division, Standing Committee of Commerce and was awaiting passage of bill from the National Assembly.

PIFD Management had been aggressively working to acquire the Charter since 2007, because students were facing great obstacles in their pursuit of higher education at National and International platforms; the respective educational organisations did not acknowledge a degree that was not HEC vetted. The Alumni has also been facing similar concerns where the lack of HEC recognition puts them at a disadvantage when pursuing job placements at organisations and companies of repute. The deserving graduates could not secure scholarships because one of the qualification criteria includes a degree from an HEC recognised institute.