Day: December 8, 2022

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Punjab University VC expresses condolence over student’s death 

Lahore, December 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):Punjab University student Zohaib has died in Mayo Hospital while suffering from illness. He was a student of B Pharmacy at the University College of Pharmacy and was staying at Khalid Bin Waleed Hostel, Old Campus. The late student was suffering from fever in the morning and was sent to Mayo Hospital at 8 am for treatment but could not survive.

The university administration informed the parents of the student about his death. PU VC Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi while expressing condolence over the death of the student said that Zohaib was a brilliant student of pharmacy. He said that he was heartbroken over his death and prayed to Allah to raise the ranks of the deceased in Jannat-ul-Firdous and give patience to his family to bear this irreparable loss.

For more information, contact:
Registrar,
University of the Punjab
Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99231102
Fax: +92-42-99231103
E-Mail: registrar@pu.edu.pk
Website: http://pu.edu.pk/

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Developed countries are guilty of climate change, Dr Shahid Munir

Lahore, December 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof Dr Shahid Munir has said that the developed countries are source of devastating climate changes which is affecting the developing countries. He was addressing the inaugural session of the two-day 7th International Conference on Banking, Insurance and Risk Management organized by Punjab University Hailey College of Banking and Finance.

On this occasion, Principal Hailey College of Banking and Finance Prof Dr Mubasher Munawar Khan, Director Institute of Business Administration Prof Dr Muqaddas Rehman, Dr Abdul Ghafoor, Dr Khurram, faculty members, researchers, academicians and a large number of students were present.

In his address, Dr Shahid Munir said that many such industries had been set up in India, which were releasing such chemicals that were affecting not only the climate of India but also the climate of Pakistan. He said that due to actions of the neighbouring country, glaciers were melting in Pakistan, floods have caused destruction and the temperature was increasing.

He said that the laws related to burning fields and trees and zigzag technology should be strictly implemented to reduce the climatic effects in Pakistan. He said that in the future, environment friendly businesses should be encouraged. He said that in the universities of the modern world, research was being done rapidly on ways to make sea water suitable for farming and drinking, if Pakistani universities do not work on artificial intelligence, industrial robotics, animation and data sciences, the country would not develop.

He said that Ukraine and Russia provided large quantities of wheat and oil to the world, while the ongoing war between the two had damaged the economy worldwide. He said that educational institutions should provide their students with modern curriculum and environment friendly business training.

Dr Mubbassher Munawar Khan said that the aim of the conference was to provide awareness about current climate challenges and sustainable business practices. He said that as a result of climate change, floods have caused a lot of human and financial loss to the country. He said that all the stakeholders have to work together for the stability of the economy in Pakistan. He said that to protect the next generations, natural resources have to be used properly and steps have to be taken to deal with natural disasters.

He said that a large number of researchers were participating in the two-day international conference in which more than 170 research papers would be presented. He said that the conference would not only be of interest to individuals but it would also benefit the policymakers. He said that research should be promoted in educational institutions to develop business in Pakistan. Dr Muqaddas Rehman said that many countries including Pakistan had suffered due to the effects of climate change.

She said that academicians identify the problems and also offer their solutions. Dr Abdul Ghafoor said that not knowing things was not a bad thing, but not trying to know was a bad thing. The participants should learn from this conference and make practical efforts, he added. Dr Khurram said that climate change not only caused economic damage to Pakistan, but the closure of educational institutions due to smog also affected children’s education. The conference will continue on Friday (today) as well.

For more information, contact:
Registrar,
University of the Punjab
Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99231102
Fax: +92-42-99231103
E-Mail: registrar@pu.edu.pk
Website: http://pu.edu.pk/

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Punjab University College of Art and Design to organize exhibition

Lahore, December 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):Punjab University College of Art and Design (CAD) will organize opening ceremony of the exhibition ‘Islamic Architectural Heritage of Hungary’ in the Grand Hall of college on Friday (today) at 11:30am. On this occasion the Ambassador of Hungary Mr Bela Fazekas will be the chief guest.

For more information, contact:
Registrar,
University of the Punjab
Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99231102
Fax: +92-42-99231103
E-Mail: registrar@pu.edu.pk
Website: http://pu.edu.pk/

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Islamabad Conclave-2022 (Working Session-IV: “75 Years of Independence: Pursuit of Geo-economics”) 

Islamabad, December 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI) held its flagship event the Islamabad Conclave-2022 on the Theme “75 Years of Independence: Achieving Comprehensive National Security.” On the second day of the event, on December 08, 2022, the China-Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) hosted Session-IV themed “75 Years of Independence: Pursuit of Geo-economics.”

Haroon Sharif, former Chairman Board of Investment delivered keynote address. Afterwards, Professor Lin Minwang, Assistant Dean at Institute of International Studies Fudan University spoke on role of CPEC in Pakistan’s economic development.

Next speaker, Dr. Adam Saud, Head of Department Humanities and Social Sciences at Bahria University, spoke on the topic of connectivity with Central Asia. Third panelists was Dr. Fayyaz ul Hasan, on the subject of Ensuring Food Security and Modernising Agriculture. Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director CPSC, moderated the session.

Mr. Haroon Sharif, in his keynote address, underscored that the world at large is in transition from globalization to deglobulisation. This has led states to focus more on geo-economics. Due to this deglobulisation, the cost of doing business has increased. Countries must reach out their neighbours and focus on leveraging comparative advantages.

In Pakistan’s case, it is China, the prominent neighbour when it comes to trade, connectivity and good economic relations. Mr. Sharif said that traditionally, Pakistan has looked at economic problems through the geo-strategic lens. That is not a sustainable proposition.

It reduced our capability to develop actual economic opportunities. Geo-strategically important Pakistan has missed opportunities. Behind these missed opportunities, the reason is multiple conflicts going in the region. Highlighting these issues, Mr. Sharif recommended that the leadership must change the mind-set.

The country must reach out to the new world. In different countries, governments have merged Foreign Offices with the Ministry of Commerce, as both have essentially, the same end goal. Pakistan can also follow these models. Moreover, Pakistan must develop some transaction products to sell to the world. Currently, the world is facing food and energy scarcity.

Pakistan can cash this opportunity by exporting food to the neighbourly region especially to the Middle East. Besides, to avoid Red Tapism, the system must be deregulated and private sector must be given enough room to find opportunities around the world.

Professor Lin Minwang highlighted the significance of CPEC in China-Pakistan relations. He said that geo-economics is the base of China-Pakistan relations. Pakistan hitherto was engaged actively in the regional politics. China has always been an incredible and reliable friend of Pakistan. The country must build environment of opportunities provided by CPEC.

Dr. Adam Saud highlighted Pakistan’s relations with Central Asian region. He underlined that Pakistan’s relations with Central Asia dates back to history, long before their independence. The downturn in the bilateral relations came when Taliban took the power in Afghanistan back in 1990s. However, relations have started improving and after 2018 bilateral trade has sufficiently increased between Pakistan and Central Asian states.

There is huge potential that can be cashed only by the leadership’s prudence. Dr. Saud recommended that Pakistan must empower its private sectors and enhance official level summits to realise the true potential of Pakistan-Central Asia relations. At the end of the working Session-IV, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BoG ISSI presented ISSI Mementos to the esteemed speaker.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)
Sector F-5/2, Islamabad – 44000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9202481
Fax: +92-51-9204658
E-mail: strategy@issi.org.pk
Website: http://issi.org.pk/

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Islamabad Conclave-2022 (Working Session-V: “75 Years of Independence: Pakistan’s Human and Economic Security”) 

Islamabad, December 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI) held its flagship event, Islamabad Conclave 2022 on the theme “75 Years of Independence: Achieving Comprehensive National Security.” On the second day of the event, December 08, 2022, the Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) hosted Session-V themed “75 Years of Independence: Pakistan’s Human and Economic Security.”

Dr. Aisha Pasha Minister of State for Finance and Revenue was the Keynote Speaker. Other panellists included Dr. Hassan Abbas, Founding Member, Zizak; Dr. Idrees Khawaja, Senior Research Economist, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics; Dr. Shabnum Sarfraz Former Member, Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms; and Mr. Shahrukh Wani Economist, International Growth Centre, University of Oxford. The session was moderated by Dr. Neelum Nigar Director CSP.

In her opening remarks Dr. Nigar said that Pakistan is faced with multiple issues impacting its economic and human security and it’s important to understand the macroeconomic fundamentals in order to put forth viable policy recommendations.

While giving her keynote address, Dr. Pasha said that Economic and Human Security are linked and differentiation between the two should not be made as both impact the lives of the people. Pakistan is at a low level of human security stemming from extreme poverty, food insecurity, energy insecurity, and low levels of employment in the country.

Dr Pasha further highlighted that Pakistan has a youth bulge, but has not absorbed into the productive workforce. She further added that inclusive growth is missing in Pakistan and hindering its economic development. Therefore, structural changes need to be implemented to improve national security.

Mr. Wani said that Pakistan has been unable to deliver sustained economic growth and is lagging in the region in terms of GDP growth. The biggest problem of Pakistan is its inability to export, and the increased growth is largely driven by consumption with very low levels of savings and investment. He said that Pakistan needs to disincentive capital inflow in non-trade able sectors of the economy and improve women participation in the labour force.

In her presentation Dr. Sarfraz talked about the fact that the government needs to select which areas need more focus and put effort into its uplifting. Shortage of healthy human resource is the biggest constraint to health sector in Pakistan. She further said that demographic dividend will not be a gift for Pakistan if the youth is not provided the right opportunities. There is a need for inclusion of youth voices in policy making.

Dr. Abbas said that integration of knowledge from different fields to deal with a specific issue is more likely to produce out of the box solutions to Pakistan’s water problems. The policymakers need to learn from past experiences when dealing with environmental disasters.

He also stated that climate challenges bring both threats and opportunities and Pakistan needs to be ready to take advantage of the opportunities. Indus River System has great economic potential, and the country can generate lots of revenue from it if used properly.

Dr. Khawaja was of the view that for humans to be prosperous they need to be secure. For an economy to grow it needs investment and Pakistan productivity has decreased over the years. Bureaucratic hurdles are constraining the economy along with grassroots corruption which needs to be addressed.

Internet access and adult education can improve productivity in Pakistan and there is a need to build aversion to corruption in the society. At the end of the working session, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BoG ISSI presented ISSI Mementos to the panellists.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)
Sector F-5/2, Islamabad – 44000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9202481
Fax: +92-51-9204658
E-mail: strategy@issi.org.pk
Website: http://issi.org.pk/

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Survival Between Hope and Harsh Winter

Lahore, December 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):While we are sitting on our warm sofas in heater-installed rooms drinking coffee, there are people who are forced to live under the open sky in this cold weather. Flood affectees, while fleeing their villages, towns didn’t bring anything with them and even if they did, it was either destroyed during the efforts to fight the might of flood waters or it was not enough for them.

Even those who were able to return to their villages found nothing but half destroyed houses, huge neighbourhoods vanished. Al-Khidmat tried its best to save the most important thing during the floods, Human life!

But the scale of the destruction was so huge that the supplies they provided at that time barely met their needs and now they are running out of supplies. Lack of supplies combined with the harshness of winter is very difficult even for the strongest of us, it is even more difficult for women, kids, elderly and sick.

Many people are without proper water supply, food, shelter these are the most basic things required for human survival. We all know how Al-Khidmat was fighting on the frontlines, the brave volunteers of Al-Khidmat proved that Al-Khidmat cares for Humanity!

People came forward and donated everything they could, people of Pakistan helped prevent a big humanitarian crises, but the effects of floods last for years. Farmers had their lands destroyed, people lost everything they had in the floods and they have nothing to survive even if they somehow find shelter.

Al-Khidmat is now preparing to do a huge winter drive; providing shelter, warm clothes. Al-Khidmat, with your support helped flood affectees survive, they need your support again to help. They are working on every front, from helping farmers in making their land farmable to helping the affectees rebuild their houses. This package costs 4500 PKR and it will help someone get some basic protection from the cold weather. It includes blankets, mattresses, and pillows. Let’s help those in need by contributing anything we can and make the affectees self-sufficient again!

For more information, contact:
Al-Khidmat Foundation Pakistan
711, Block J-2 Johar Town, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42 35957260
Fax: +92-42 35957261
Email: info@al-khidmatfoundation.org
Website: http://al-khidmatfoundation.org/