Author: Web Desk

Rawalpindi, October 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):The IMF-led neoliberal policies based on the Washington Consensus have never worked and will never work, said Prof. Dr. Ashfaque Hasan Khan during the John Maynard Keynes Lecture on the third day of the Second International Conference on Sustainable Development in Contemporary World: Priorities, Challenges and Prospects was held on 6 October, 2022 at Fatima Jinnah Women University.

It was preceded by a very informative address by Hans Timmer, Chief Economist of the South Asia Region, World Bank who discussed the issue of sustainable development in developing nations with particular focus on Pakistan. He highlighted the gravity of the situation given the context of current economic and climate crisis in the country. He suggested that mutually cooperative relationship between developing nations is the way out of this situation. At the same he elucidated on the responsibility of developed countries in reducing their carbon foot print.

Dr. Saima Hamid, Vice Chancellor, FJWU welcomed the distinguished guests and participants followed by the overview of the Conference given by Prof. Dr. Bushra Yasmin, Conference Coordinator. She elaborated that the conference was organized in the light of rising concerns and policy targets about sustainable development both in the national policy statements and international agreements. She announced the launch of the SDGs Research and Resource Centre (SRRC) to be established at FJWU with the support of World Bank and South Asia Economic Policy Network.

The SRRC would be a think-tank established with the view that recurrent generation, optimal allocation and efficient utilization of limited resources by the academia can formulate the trajectories for achieving sustainable development goals. Chief Guest of the session, Mr. Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Secretary, Ministry for Planning, Development and Special Initiative appreciated the efforts of the conference organizers in arranging an event with such a vast scope given numerous constraints. Mr. Shah also highlighted that planning commission is keeping sustainable development central to its all policy initiatives.

He expressed high hopes for the youth at Fatima Jinnah Women University that they will play their role in achievement of SDGs at the forefront. He emphasized that resource management entails pivotal importance in this regard. ‘The role of efficient execution of plans cannot be overemphasized’, said Mr. Shah.

The Guest of Honour, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ali, Vice Chancellor Quaid-i-Azam University, a seasoned educator and administrator, emphasized on the management of food waste and carbon footprints. Moreover, in current context of natural calamity, flood, he identified the key areas where policy precedent is required, particularly to deal with problems associated with upsurge of urbanization trend.

Vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Zainab Jahan, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, and Fatima Jinnah Women University. The session ended with the distribution of shields and certificates to the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, and conference organizing team by the acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Azra Yasmin.

The event was concluded on a photo-op with the participants of the conference. Conference was attended by over hundred participants, paper presenters and guest speakers. Three 3 plenary sessions by Renowned National and International Speakers on Localization of SDGs and Regional Perspectives, Environment, Technology and Institutions and Policies Facets of Sustainable Development were conducted.

A panel discussion was organized on tapping the Astounding Talent of Women in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Over twenty papers were presented in the technical sessions on sub-themes Economic Inquiries and Policies in the wake of SDGs, Exploration of Social Vulnerabilities and Resilience and Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability.

For more information, contact:
Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU)
Old Presidency, The Mall, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51 9270050 – 54
Fax: +92-51 9271168
Email: publicadmin@fjwu.edu.pk
Website: www.fjwu.edu.pk

Rawalpindi, October 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):Inaugural session for the Second International Conference on Sustainable Development in Contemporary World: Priorities, Challenges and Prospects was held on 4 October, 2022 at Fatima Jinnah Women University. The stage secretary Dr. Faiza Azhar Khan, welcomed guests, speakers, participants and audience.

The Guest of Honour, Dr. Ishrat Husain, former Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), former Federal Minister and one of the most prolific economists of Pakistan, delivered Fatima Jinnah Lecture. The keynote speaker of the event was Prof. Dr. Hafiz Pasha. Dr. Pasha is a renowned economist presently serving as professor emeritus at Beacon House National University. International keynote address was delivered by Dr. Lant Pritchett, research director of RISE Programme.

Prof. Dr. Bushra Yasmin, Conference Coordinator, welcomed the guests and provided the conference overview. She deliberated on the relatability of the conference theme and contents for current circumstances and elaborated on different sessions and their importance. She paid her gratitude to the World Bank and South Asia Economic Policy Network for their collaboration and patronizing the conference. She expressed her hope for a successful and fruitful event.

Dr. Saima Hamid, the Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Women University delivered her welcome address virtually. She highlighted that the extent of SDGs centric research taking place in the university is increasing and department of economics is at forefront in these research and related activities. She appreciated sponsors, dignitaries, organizers and participants for conducting the event at the time when it is most needed.

Dr. Hafiz Pasha, the keynote speaker for the conference emphasized the need of financial sustainability as a component of wider sustainability agenda. According to Dr. Pasha, Pakistan’s financial profile has declined from stable to B negative on the international scale of financial stability and credibility. He also mentioned that Pakistan is the fourth-most vulnerable nation in terms of its exposure to sovereign debt. Even though the IMF programme has been reinstated, little has changed recently.

Dr. Pasha continued in his speech by outlining the country’s likely default reasons, which included a significant disparity between debt accumulation and foreign reserves, a worsening current account balance with declining export performance, and many looming difficulties like floods and other contingent risks. He suggested fixes include the need to control exchange rates, reinstate export incentives, and revise import duties.

Dr. Ishrat delivered the Fatima Jinnah Lecture and outlined the new paradigm for potential future directions and stressing that economics alone does not solve every issue. Currently, an interdisciplinary approach is required. He elaborated a number of elements that have altered the pathways for development and have produced a new power structure in the globe by beginning the journey from the history of development thought to the most vivid phenomenon of globalization.

These variables include the ageing population, the advent of China as a significant political force, the threat of climate change, the unparalleled pace of technological advancement, and financial integration. He recognized the efforts made by the department of economics to bring all these disparate aspects of this emerging paradigm together on a single platform.

He also inspired young people to capitalize the opportunities offered by technological advancement to address the widespread development challenges that nations like ours are confronting including income inequality, climate change and digital divide. He also suggested feasibility of a number of policy prescriptions to overcome all these challenges. Dr Pritchett in his international keynote address emphasized that economic growth is pivotal for social progress, hence, any policy that does not prioritize economic growth as necessary condition for development is not going to deliver what it is supposed to.

He elaborated that in Pakistan’s case, there is a need to recognize that climate change is not an outcome of any domestic policy, therefore, compromising on sustained growth for achieving sustainability is not a stable policy. The session ended with the Guest of Honour being given a souvenir by the acting vice chancellor, Prof. Dr. Azra Yasmin and a photo-op with the participants of the conference.

For more information, contact:
Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU)
Old Presidency, The Mall, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51 9270050 – 54
Fax: +92-51 9271168
Email: publicadmin@fjwu.edu.pk
Website: www.fjwu.edu.pk