Lecturer for Pakistan Studies 2013-2016
International Education Academy Faiz Abad, Mingora Swat, KP, Pakistan
 

Lecturer for Pakistan Studies and Social Studies 2016-2018
Dawn College System, Mingora Swat, KP, Pakistan
 

Graduate Research Assistant to Dr. Sameena Azhar
 

Graduate School of Social Service Fordham University New York, USA 2019-present

Lecturer for Pakistan Studies 2023-Present
Department of Pakistan Studies Main Campus NUML, H-9 Islamabad Pakistan.

Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., Guzman Herrera, M. M., Tariq, N., & Lerner, R. (2024). "I would prefer to be dead than to live this
way": Lived experiences of stigma and discrimination against khwaja sira in Swat, Pakistan. Global mental health
(Cambridge, England), 11, e60. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2024.53

Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., & Tariq, N. (2024). “One by one, they raped me”: Sexual violence against khwaja sira in Swat,
Pakistan. Psychology of Violence, 14(3), 184-194. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000506

Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., Tariq, N., & Kumari, R. “Our strength is to give each other respect”: Techniques for building
community and increasing resilience among khwaja sira in Swat, Pakistan Planning to submit to: interdisciplinary Journal
of sexuality and culture.

Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., Tariq, N., & Herrera, M.M.G. (2022). “Having a guru is like having a license”: Analyzing
Financial Relationships between Khwaja Sira Gurus and Chelas in Swat, Pakistan. Culture, Health and Sexuality.

Malik, I., Tariq, N., Masood, S. “The impact of Pakistan Political instability on regional security and diplomatic relation
in South Asia” Global Policy Review. Vol. 3, Iss. 2,  (June, 2025):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395064426_The_Impact_of_Pakistan's_Domestic_Political_Instability_on_Regi
onal_Security_and_Diplomatic_Relations_in_South_Asia

Akhtar, Umbreen, Sara Gurchani, and Nadeem Tariq. 2025. "Islamic Approach of Good Governance in the Contemporary
Age: A Comparative Study of Pakistan and Malaysia's Political Systems." Global Social Sciences Review, X (III): 203-220
doi: 10.31703/gssr.2025(X-III).18

Tariq, N., Abbasi, A. Z., & Rehmat, S. (2024). The impact of sexual violence on females’ academic performance at tertiary
level. Miʿrāj, 3(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.58760/mairaj.v3i1.27

 

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Azhar, S., Arshid, M. & Ahmad, I. Tariq, N., (2022, Nov.). Perspectives of Mullahs/Ulamas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Pakistan on Khawaja Sira (Third Gender) Identities. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Annual Program
Meeting.
Azhar, S., Ahmad, I & Tariq, N., (2022, Nov.) Impact of COVID-19 on Khawaja Sira (Third Gender People) in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference. Accepted but unable to attend.
Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., & Herrera, M.M.G., Tariq, N. (2024, Jan.). “I would prefer to be dead than to live life this way”:
Stigma and Discrimination against Khwaja Sira in Swat, Pakistan. Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)
Conference, Washington, D.C.
Azhar, S., Ahmad, I. & Tariq, N. (2024, Jan.). “One by one, they raped me”: Sexual Violence against Khwaja Sira in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)
Conference, Washington, D.C.
Azhar, S., Ahmad, I. & Tariq, N. (2023, Dec.). If we try to resist, they threaten to kill us”: Lived experiences of khwaja
Sira in Swat, Pakistan. International Conference on Psychology and Allied Sciences, Limon, Puerto Rico.

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
SAFFAR Association (for Khawaja Sira in Pakistan)
Blue Vines/Gender Interactive Alliance, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
SEEK Social Empowerment through Education and Knowledge, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Education

PhD, Pakistan Studies (2025-continue Course work completed) National University of Modern Languages
Islamabad.
 

M. Phil., Pakistan Studies (2019-2022), National University of Modern Languages Islamabad.
Supervisor: Mr. Azhar Abbasi
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Sameena Azhar, Fordham University, New York USA.
Thesis: "Status of Transgender in Pakistan: A case study of District Swat KP.”
 

B.S, Pakistan Studies (2013-2017), GPG Jahanzeb College, Mingora, Swat
Thesis: “Life and services of Muhammad Afzal Khan Lala.”

Experience

Lecturer for Pakistan Studies 2013-2016
International Education Academy Faiz Abad, Mingora Swat, KP, Pakistan
 

Lecturer for Pakistan Studies and Social Studies 2016-2018
Dawn College System, Mingora Swat, KP, Pakistan
 

Graduate Research Assistant to Dr. Sameena Azhar
 

Graduate School of Social Service Fordham University New York, USA 2019-present

Lecturer for Pakistan Studies 2023-Present
Department of Pakistan Studies Main Campus NUML, H-9 Islamabad Pakistan.

Publications

Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., Guzman Herrera, M. M., Tariq, N., & Lerner, R. (2024). "I would prefer to be dead than to live this
way": Lived experiences of stigma and discrimination against khwaja sira in Swat, Pakistan. Global mental health
(Cambridge, England), 11, e60. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2024.53

Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., & Tariq, N. (2024). “One by one, they raped me”: Sexual violence against khwaja sira in Swat,
Pakistan. Psychology of Violence, 14(3), 184-194. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000506

Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., Tariq, N., & Kumari, R. “Our strength is to give each other respect”: Techniques for building
community and increasing resilience among khwaja sira in Swat, Pakistan Planning to submit to: interdisciplinary Journal
of sexuality and culture.

Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., Tariq, N., & Herrera, M.M.G. (2022). “Having a guru is like having a license”: Analyzing
Financial Relationships between Khwaja Sira Gurus and Chelas in Swat, Pakistan. Culture, Health and Sexuality.

Malik, I., Tariq, N., Masood, S. “The impact of Pakistan Political instability on regional security and diplomatic relation
in South Asia” Global Policy Review. Vol. 3, Iss. 2,  (June, 2025):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395064426_The_Impact_of_Pakistan's_Domestic_Political_Instability_on_Regi
onal_Security_and_Diplomatic_Relations_in_South_Asia

Akhtar, Umbreen, Sara Gurchani, and Nadeem Tariq. 2025. "Islamic Approach of Good Governance in the Contemporary
Age: A Comparative Study of Pakistan and Malaysia's Political Systems." Global Social Sciences Review, X (III): 203-220
doi: 10.31703/gssr.2025(X-III).18

Tariq, N., Abbasi, A. Z., & Rehmat, S. (2024). The impact of sexual violence on females’ academic performance at tertiary
level. Miʿrāj, 3(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.58760/mairaj.v3i1.27

 

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Azhar, S., Arshid, M. & Ahmad, I. Tariq, N., (2022, Nov.). Perspectives of Mullahs/Ulamas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Pakistan on Khawaja Sira (Third Gender) Identities. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Annual Program
Meeting.
Azhar, S., Ahmad, I & Tariq, N., (2022, Nov.) Impact of COVID-19 on Khawaja Sira (Third Gender People) in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference. Accepted but unable to attend.
Azhar, S., Ahmad, I., & Herrera, M.M.G., Tariq, N. (2024, Jan.). “I would prefer to be dead than to live life this way”:
Stigma and Discrimination against Khwaja Sira in Swat, Pakistan. Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)
Conference, Washington, D.C.
Azhar, S., Ahmad, I. & Tariq, N. (2024, Jan.). “One by one, they raped me”: Sexual Violence against Khwaja Sira in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)
Conference, Washington, D.C.
Azhar, S., Ahmad, I. & Tariq, N. (2023, Dec.). If we try to resist, they threaten to kill us”: Lived experiences of khwaja
Sira in Swat, Pakistan. International Conference on Psychology and Allied Sciences, Limon, Puerto Rico.

 

Interests

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
SAFFAR Association (for Khawaja Sira in Pakistan)
Blue Vines/Gender Interactive Alliance, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
SEEK Social Empowerment through Education and Knowledge, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan