Malik Siraj Akbar 

March 07, 2020

On March 7, 2020, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke on a panel on Balochistan at Columbia University's Pakistan Symposium. Akbar spoke about the dynamics of the Baloch insurgency and a lack of serious efforts by different Pakistani governments to create an atmosphere conducive for negotiations with the Baloch leadership. "Every Pakistani ruler, regardless of party affiliation and ideological leaning, has admitted that Islamabad has not treated Balochistan fairly," Akbar recalled, "They have all apologized to the people of Balochistan that this would not happen again but when they came to power, they forgot Balochistan or continued exactly the same old policies toward the province."

April 30, 2019

On April 30, 2019, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke at the World Sindhi Congress at the University Club in Washington D.C. His presentation focused on Sindhi, Balochi and Pashtun nationalisms in Pakistan's Sindh province and how the Pakistani government has represesed the demands and grievances of the indigenous peoples.​

December 25, 2019

On March 25, 2019, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. on "Pakistan, Its Politics and Regional Stability". The event was hosted at the School of Foreign Service by SFS Graduate School Council where Malik spoke about Pakistan under the leadership of Imran Khan, the recent standoff with India, negotiations between the Taliban and the United States and the future of the region. 
 

Students asked questions about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and how it was perceived in the country, specifically in Balochistan, home to the Gwadar Port. Malik spoke about the news media, minority rights and the role of political parties and NGOs in the country's stability. 
 

David Blechman, leader of the SFS Graduate School Council, introduced Malik to the audience while Anthony Orlando, a Georgetown student, moderated the Q&A session.

March 03, 2019

Malik Siraj Akbar was one of the organizers and speakers of the anti-war Global Standout for Peace rally in Washington D.C. on Sunday, March 3, 2019, to urge the governments of India and Pakistan to avoid war and build peace in the region. The initiative brought peace lovers from India and Pakistan together to amplify the demand for peace and tolerance. 

"People-to-people contacts are essential and governments should invest in human development instead of war," Malik said.
 

Read the full event press release. 

Read the coverage in Daily Times, Pakistan 

Watch the event video

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On June 5, 2018, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke at George Washington University in Washington D.C. about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and its impact on Balochistan at an event hosted by AdvoPak, a nonprofit organization that works toward a peaceful Pakistan that is free of violence and discrimination. The event was a part of an ongoing series of lectures Malik is hosting on Balochistan for people interested in different aspects of life in the region. 

February 01, 2018

On February 1, 2018, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke at George Washington University in Washington D.C. about the conflict in Balochistan at an event hosted by AdvoPak, a nonprofit organization that works toward a peaceful Pakistan that is free of violence and discrimination. The event was attended by young professionals and university students who showed a keen interest in issues pertaining to Balochistan. Because of the complexity and diversity of issues pertaining to Balochistan, AdvoPak decided to initiate a series of events to discuss various aspects of the conflict in Balochistan.

April 15, 2017

Malik Siraj Akbar, President of the Balochistan Institute Washington D.C., spoke on the Harvard Pakistan Forum panel "the Balochistan Question: Fostering Provincial Cohesion in Pakistan" on April 15, 2017. He spoke about the causes of the conflict in Balochistan and how flawed government policies have alienated the Baloch population and led to human rights abuses. Moderated by Dr. Adil Najam, dean of the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, the conversation was also joined by Mr. Anwaar Kakar, the official spokesman of the Government of Balochistan. It was the first time that the Balochistan conflict was so extensively discussed at Harvard. 

On May 10th, 2016, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke about the state of the media in Balochistan at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington D.C. at an event organized by the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO). 

On Thursday, May 23, 2013,  Malik Siraj Akbar spoke in Washington D.C. at the New America Foundation in an event "What’s Next for Pakistan’s New Government?". The event focused on the aftermath of Pakistan's general elections. Peter Bergen, CNN's National Security Correspondent, moderated the event.

The panel included:

Shamila Chaudhary: Senior South Asia Fellow, National Security Studies Program, New America Foundation

Andrew Wilder: Director, Afghanistan and Pakistan Programs, United States Institute of Peace

Dr. Simbal Khan: Pakistan Scholar, Asia Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

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On May 7, 2013, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington D.C. at an event ahead of Pakistan's general elections. The theme of the event was "Pakistan's General Elections 2013: Stakes and Prospects". Steve Inskeep, the host of America's most widely heard radio news program, Morning Edition, moderated the event.
 

Other panelists included:
 

Dr. Simbal Khan: Pakistan Scholar, Asia Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Daniel Markey: Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (C.F.R.)

Richard Wike: Associate Director of the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project

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Malik Siraj Akbar, a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) about threats to defenders of democracy in Pakistan's Balochistan province.

On September 27, 2012, Malik Siraj Akbar participated in a panel discussion at the Center for International Media Assistance in Washington D.C. for the launch of the report, Challenges for Independent News Media in Pakistan . Moderated by Brian Joseph, senior director for Asia and global programs at the National Endowment for Democracy, the panel included: Sherry Ricchiardi, author of the report and a senior writer for American Journalism Review (AJR), Awais Saleem, Washington correspondent for Pakistan’s Dunya News and Bob Dietz, the Asia program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists

Malik Siraj Akbar and Dr. Quratulain Bakhteari, the Founding Director of the Institute for Development Studies and Practices (IDSP), spoke at the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington D.C. in March 2012 about Balochistan, human development, politics and causes and consequences of the conflict in Pakistan’s largest province.

On October 22, 2012, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke at a seminar on Balochistan organized by George Mason University in Arlington, VA. Other speakers included the Amnesty International’s Director International Advocacy T. Kumar, former Pakistani Senator Sanaullah Baloch, ex-Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly Waheed Baloch and others.

The Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America invited Malik Siraj Akbar to speak at its 2012 convention held at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center about the unrest in Balochistan. Moderated by the senior journalist Anwar Iqbal, panelists also included seasoned Pakistani print and broadcast journalist Sohail Warraich.

Senator (R) Sanullah Baloch and Malik Siraj Akbar in a panel session on Balochistan during the South Asia Forum in Berlin, Germany.On July 10, 2011, Malik Siraj Akbar spoke at the South Asia Forum held in Berlin, Germany. He addressed the session that focused on the conflict in Balochistan while sharing the panel with the former member of the Senate of Pakistan Sanaullah Baloch, the Khan of Kalat Mir Suleman Dawood and chairman of the Pakhtunkhawa Milli Awami Party, Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

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January 01, 2020

Malik Siraj Akbar spoke at the City University, New York City on June 21, 2011, about the state of press freedom in Pakistan at the annual reception of the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA). 
 

He shared the panel with the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter David S. Rohde, and senior Pakistani journalists Beena Sarwar and Kamran Shafi. The panel was moderated by the New York Times journalist Vikas Bajaj.
 

On April 30, 2011, Malik Siraj Akbar addressed the Balochistan International Conference organized by the Baloch Society of North America (BSO-NA) at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He spoke about the internal displacements caused by the conflict in Balochistan and provided policy recommendations. 

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On May 3, 2011, the Institute for South Asia Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, invited Malik Siraj Akbar to speak about his book, the Redefined Dimensions of the Baloch Nationalist Movement. The event was attended by students, faculty and university staff.

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, affiliated to Germany's Social Democratic Party, invited Malik Siraj Akbar to speak about the conflict in Balochistan on November 23 and 26, 2009 at Singapore. The event was attended by top former Indian and Pakistani military and civilian officials, journalists and peace activists. 

On May 3, 2011, Malik Siraj Akbar participated in panel discussion on the media in Pakistan at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. He spoke about the threats journalists face in Pakistan while working on different stories.

Malik Siraj Akbar was invited to speak at the Young Leaders' Conference 2009 in Karachi Pakistan to share his experiences as an alum from the same youth leadership program. Akbar spoke to participants in a breakout session called "how I made it big" in which he shared his passion for journalism and the work he does in Balochistan as a reporter.