Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) is an internationally recognised research institution. It is the leading institution of its kind in Pakistan. In 2007, it celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. The Charter of PIDE, when it was first set up in 1957, was to undertake applied research in the fields of Economics and Demography with special reference to Pakistan. In the mid-1970s, an additional task was given to PIDE to organise in-service training courses in Project Planning techniques for government servants in BPS Grades of 17–19. This step was based on the need to improve their planning skills, particularly in reference to the preparation of Planning Commission documents related to development projects.