A principal-led consultancy dedicated to evidence-based development, registered in Pakistan and connected to a global network of specialists.
Pillar and Path Consulting was established in January 2026 by Abdul Karim Gabol, a development professional with over 25 years of experience working across governance, gender equality, safeguards, and programme management. The firm was created to provide Pakistan's development sector — and international donors working within it — with a consultancy that combines institutional credibility with genuine field expertise.
We operate on a principal-led model. This means that senior expertise is always at the centre of every assignment: not delegated to junior staff, not abstracted behind layers of management. Our Principal Consultant leads each engagement directly, supported by a carefully selected network of associate specialists whose depth of experience matches the demands of the work.
The firm name reflects a simple conviction: sustainable development requires both structural foundations (pillars) and a clear, evidence-based path forward. Our work is dedicated to building one and illuminating the other.
| Legal Name | Pillar and Path Consulting (SMC-Private) Limited |
| SECP Registration | Inc. No. 0324678 — Companies Act 2017 (XIX of 2017) |
| Tax Registration | FBR National Tax Number: I450029 |
| CDC Status | Ordinary shares declared CDS-eligible by Pakistan's Central Depository Company |
| Registered Address | GF2, Block E19, Street 97, G-11/3, Islamabad, Pakistan – 44100 |
| Principal Contact | Abdul Karim Gabol, Principal Consultant |
| Phone / WhatsApp | +92 300 501 3037 |
| info@pillarandpathconsulting.com |
To advance sustainable development, strengthen governance systems, and foster inclusive growth through evidence-based, participatory, and ethically grounded consultancy services.
We believe that the most effective development work is participatory, locally grounded, and evidence-driven. Every assignment begins with a rigorous analysis of context, builds on existing community knowledge and institutional capacity, and produces outputs that are directly actionable by the partners we serve.
We measure success not by the volume of reports produced, but by the quality of decisions those reports enable — and by the extent to which vulnerable communities benefit from the interventions they inform.
We report what the evidence shows, including findings that challenge assumptions or create inconvenient truths for funders or implementers.
Every methodology we deploy is appropriate to the question at hand, transparently documented, and aligned with international evaluation standards.
Gender equality and social inclusion are not add-ons. They are core design principles embedded at the outset of every piece of work.
We take seriously our obligations to the communities, institutions, and donors whose trust we carry. Do-No-Harm is a minimum standard, not an aspiration.
Abdul Karim Gabol is the founder and Principal Consultant of Pillar and Path Consulting, bringing over 25 years of expertise in governance, gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), environmental and social safeguards, and programme management. He has delivered high-quality assignments for a diverse portfolio of international clients including UNDP, WWF, the UN International Trade Centre (ITC), the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), ADB, and IFAD.
Karim's work spans research and evaluation, stakeholder engagement, policy analysis, and the design and management of complex, multi-stakeholder development programmes. He has a strong track record of delivering rigorous, evidence-based outputs within tight timelines and across challenging field environments. His GESI mainstreaming experience includes gender action plans, social safeguard frameworks, and PSEA protocols for major international donors.
Prior to founding Pillar and Path Consulting, Karim built a distinguished career in Pakistan's development sector and with international organisations, contributing to programmes in governance, agriculture, natural resources, social protection, and inclusive economic development.
Pillar and Path Consulting operates on a network-of-associates model rather than maintaining a large permanent staff. This design is intentional. It allows us to assemble the precise combination of expertise that each assignment demands — whether that means a hydrogeochemist for a water-quality study in coastal Sindh, a gender economist for a legislative gap analysis, or a GIS specialist for an infrastructure mapping exercise.
Our associate network includes national and international specialists in research, MEL, governance, GESI, climate, agriculture, livelihoods, digital systems, and health. All associates are vetted for academic credentials, field experience, and alignment with Pillar and Path's ethical standards before engagement on any assignment.
This model also means that our overheads remain lean — a saving we pass directly to our clients through competitive fee structures, without compromising the seniority or quality of the expertise deployed.
We welcome proposals, expressions of interest, and introductory conversations from donors and implementing partners.
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