Professor Bilquees Daud is an Assistant Professor at the Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA) and the Co-Director of the Centre for Afghanistan Studies (CAS) at O.P. Jindal Global University, India. Her work engages with critical questions of peacebuilding, gender, and non-violence in South and Central Asia, with a particular focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan.
She earned her B.A. in Social Sciences from the American University of Afghanistan and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, University of Erfurt, Germany. With extensive experience working across local and international organisations, research centres, and universities in Afghanistan and abroad, Ms. Daud has authored numerous analytical and research articles published by leading academic and policy outlets. She was also awarded the India–Afghanistan Foundation Grant in 2019 for staging the theatre production Parwana.
Her research primarily explores non-violence as a tool for socio-political mobilisation, peace education, the agency of women in rural societies, and strategies to counter religious radicalisation. She is also a frequent commentator on Afghanistan-related issues for platforms such as BBC, The Diplomat, and Sputnik.
Prof. Daud is the author of Education for Peace: Rehabilitating Non-Violent Discourses in Afghanistan, which draws on the legacy of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, highlighting his pioneering efforts in promoting education and non-violence in the Pashtun regions of modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan. Her recent publication, “Taliban and Education in Afghanistan: Relevance of Bacha Khan’s Legacy,” published as a book chapter in IDSA volume Afghanistan Under Taliban (2025), IDSA. Prof. Daud is also a Takshashila Fellow, where her ongoing research explores the role of Pashtun nonviolent movements in shaping Pakistan’s political landscape.
Currently, she teaches two electives at Jindal School of International Affairs; ‘Women in Conflict Zones’ and ‘Politics of Nonviolence: The Case Study of Afghanistan and Pakistan’. In the upcoming semester, she will be offering the core course ‘Introduction to Sociology’ and the elective ‘Women in Conflict Zones’.
As Assistant Director of the Centre for Afghanistan Studies, she plays a key role in advancing the Centre’s mission of fostering nuanced, interdisciplinary scholarship on Afghanistan’s social transformation, peacebuilding efforts, and regional dynamics.
