SDPI and WWF-Pakistan sign MoU on environmental and development issues in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD:(April 30, 2009) two leading environmental organizations Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Worldwide fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF Pakistan) have come together to address environmental and developmental issues in Pakistan. Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of SDPI and Ali Habib, Director General, WWF Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of their respective organizations at Islamabad on Monday aiming at building and strengthening long-term collaboration between the two organizations by extending technical and institutional support to each other to achieve this goal.

Initially, both the organizations will focus on Indus Eco-region and its associated natural resources, for which the collaboration envisages to engage professionals and experts at various levels to conduct research, training, policy advocacy, awareness and other field level interventions. However, the scope of the collaboration will not be exclusively limited to Indus co-region program rather simultaneous collaborative measures could be initiated as and when mutually required.

Both the organizations have agreed to collaborate in the domains of climate change and its affects on environment and communities, environmental flows and river Indus especially in Indus Eco-region, water management, bio-fuels, carbon sequestration, toxic chemicals, documentation of traditional ecological knowledge, sustainable agriculture and industrial development, livelihoods and food security, and disaster management.

SDPI has a strong background in policy research and advocacy in Pakistan while WWF-Pakistan has a prominent place among organizations famous in field level interventions.

ISLAMABAD - The Balochistan crises must be addressed on an immediate basis to rectify the 60-year mishandling of Baloch demands resulting in grievances and injustices, which have brought Pakistan to the edge another civil war.

These views were expressed by Senator, Pakistan People’s Party, Mian Raza Rabbani while addressing at a seminar titled “Provincial Autonomy: A view from Balochistan” held here on Wednesday.

The event was organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in collaboration with Sungi Development Foundation.

Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, MNA Ahsan Iqbal, Habib Jalib Advocate, Sheikh Asad Rahman and Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of Sustainable Development Policy Institute also attended the seminar.

The speakers highlighted how undemocratic rule created conflicts and civil war in Pakistan and a case study was also presented on the occasion for better understanding of the issue of Balochistan. While speaking on this occasion Senator Raza Rabbani said that a true democratic dispensation, dialogue and amendments in the constitution can assure provincial autonomy, fiscal power, control over natural resources, fundamental, civil and human rights.

In his address Senator Mir Hasil khan Bizenjo said that Balochistan people could no longer afford military operations because it has been resulted in ruthless killing of our political leaders, control over natural resources, corruption and non-provision of better living standard.

He further said that hatred and animosity generated by the irrational policies of the government especially operations against Kalat/Balochistan spreading to an alarming dimension all over Balochistan.

“A particularly feeling of hatred in the tribal areas and among young generation has been running high against Pakistan”, he added. It was revealed during the seminar that due to lack of agricultural, educational and socio-economic development the Baloch people had to struggle for better livelihood.

Meanwhile, talking to the media persons at the ceremony Senator Raza Rabbani (PPP) concluded that democratic and Marshal Law-led governments brought injustice, inequality to Balochistan including Punjab, Sindh, NWFP.

In order to improve this situation federal government would be able to fulfil demands of Balochistan people regarding the Balochistan as a sovereign and independent State.

ISLAMABAD: Leaders of mainstream political parties, Baloch nationalist leaders and civil society representatives here on Wednesday called for the supremacy of the parliament, recognition of the rights of provinces, and an immediate end to military operation in Balochistan to save the federation.

They were speaking at seminar on “Provincial autonomy: A view from Balochistan,” which was jointly organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and the Sungi Development Foundation.

Senator Raza Rabbani of PPP, Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch and Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo of National Party, Ahsan Iqbal of PML-N, Habib Jalib of BNPMengal, Sheikh Asad Rahman of Sungi Development Foundation and Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri of SDPI shared their insights and recommendations about the worsening relations of the federation and its units.

Mohsin Babar of Sungi moderated the proceedings, while Sheikh Asad Rahman presented a historical background and evolution of the Balochistan conflict, which included forced annexation, military operations, and denial of Baloch’s genuine economic and political rights by the federation.

They warned that continuous use of force, exploitation of resources without participatory development, current system of regional inequalities and social injustice would drift the country towards dismemberment. They also stressed a political and dialogueoriented solution to the crisis.

The Baloch leaders, while giving accounts of economic, political and historical injustices and oppression, termed the federation’s attitude towards province “a new form of colonisation”.

Senator Rabbani said discontinuity in the political process and amendments in the constitution by dictators had created social, economic and political inequali ties and conflicts.

Dr Baloch termed the establishment the biggest hurdle in the country’s welfare, development and stability.

Dr Suleri said the natural resources, which were otherwise considered blessing, turned into curse when their benefits were only accrued for a select few.

“This is what exactly happening in Balochistan,” he added.

Mr Bizenjo urged restructuring the state system to ensure a genuine regard and respect of different federating nationalities, recognition of rights over their resources, and an end to culture of distorting history to mislead the common people. Habib Jalib strongly condemned “the 61-year history of suppression of Balochs”, and demanded “self-determination” with the involvement of international community.

Ahsan Iqbal supported the concerns of Baloch nationalists and pledged that the PML-N would support them at every cost and called for a new social contract.

Recognition of provinces' rights urged

ISLAMABAD: The speakers at a seminar on Balochistan laid stress on the supremacy of the Parliament over the Establishment, amendments in the constitution to end the "exploitative state," recognizing the rights of provinces over their resources and immediate end to military operation in Balochistan to save the federation of Pakistan.

These views were expressed by different speakers at the seminar, "Provincial Autonomy: A View from Balochistan," which was jointly organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Sungi Development Foundation here Wednesday.

Former Minister for Provincial Coordinator Senator Mian Raza said that the exploitative system and imbalanced civil-military relations turned this Islamic Republic from welfare state into security state. He said discontinuity in the political process and 'amendments in the constitutions by dictators created social, economic and political inequalities and conflicts. He said, "We have to collectively find out negotiated solution to these issues and introduce amendments in the constitution to address worsening relations between federation and province especially Balochistan." He said that the concrete results could not be achieved unless the rights of provinces over their resources especially of Balochistan were not recognised.

Urging mainstream political parties to rise above their political expediencies to get rid of the unbridled establishment, Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch of National Party Balochistan said that establishment was the biggest hurdle in country's welfare, development and stability. He said that political parties would do this with the help of mass public support like PML-N did in the case of judiciary. He said that the federation "a new form of colonization" and condemned military operation, mass disappearances, arrests, killings of human as well as livestock, destruction of property and crops of the Balochs. He called for resolving the question of nationalities through supremacy of the Parliament and constitutional amendments.

Dr Abid Suleri, head of SDPI said that the natural resources, which were otherwise considered as blessings turned into curse when their benefits were only accrued for a select few. He said it usually happened in the absence of functional democracy when re" source distribution was governed by the will of the elite, depriving masses of their due share. Such marginalization and social injustice directly resulted into societal violence, and conflict between classes, he said adding that this was what exactly happening in Balochistan.

Mir Hasil Bizenjo of BNP-Mengal demanded restructuring of the state system to ensure a genuine regard and respect of different federating nationalities, recognition of rights over their resources. He strongly condemned the 61 years history of suppression of the Balochs. He demanded "self-determination" with the involvement of international community. He said Pakistan "mysteriously" annexed the state of Kalat and its sub-states despite a strong opposition of Balochistan's legislators. He lamented that all the resources of Balochistan were in direct control of the state under a dual policy, which made all the province's underground resources fall in the hand of federation. He also called for a new social contract and amendments in the constitution on the basis of equality "as the existing constitution did not represent the feelings and rights of the people of Pakistan." He disclosed that because of running the state through stick and might led to end of ritual of national anthem in the educational institutions of Balochistan which showed how the state became irrelevant for them.

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal supported the concerns of Baloch nationalists and pledged that his party would support them and the new social contract. He said that his party would organise an All Parties Conference on the issue of Balochistan. He demanded an end to military operation in Balochistan saying the use of force only widened the gap between federation and province.

ISLAMABAD: No country, no democracy and no society can progressively sustain unless it facilitates and promotes a culture of independent organisations and unions, which represent people’s aspirations. These views were expressed by speakers at a seminar entitled "Trade unionism and role of political parties in Pakistan" organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed of PPP, Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Azad Qadri of Pak Telecom Labour Union, Khalid Bhatti of Trade Union Rights Campaign (TURC) and Aasim Sajjad Akhtar, Peoples Rights Movement (PRM) spoke on the occasion while Faisal Gorchani of SDPI moderated the proceedings.

Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, giving a detailed account of rise and decline of trade unionism and labour movements in Pakistan, maintained that a social transformation and change in the system of state was only viable option to reasonably safeguard the interests and rights of workers and labourers in the country.

He lamented that the leadership of trade unions have betrayed more their constituencies than to anyone else adding that the leftists sidelined themselves from electoral politics during 70s which created space for labour and workers unfriendly representation in the real politics causing harm to such movements. Barrister Zafarullah Khan underlined that the political parties should now stop exploiting trade unions for their specific interests and structure of state and its thinking be changed.

Citing the efforts of his party regarding prohibition of child and bonded labour and support for ILO conventions, he urged changing the definition of law which terms master-servant relation instead of owner-labour relation, end to fragmentation of law, inclusion of informal labour in contractual system, labour-unfriendly process of finance bill, uniformity of law with regard to industries registration, registration of agricultural labour, and a well thought strategy for the process of privatisation.

Khalid Bhatti termed the era of late 1960 and 70s as gold period for the mushrooming of trade unions in Pakistan adding that except to this period no political party or ruling elite has allowed flourishing the unions development in the country because they fell politically threatened. Azad Qadri highlighted that political parties exploit the trade unionism only for their own limited interests and when those interests are served they start destroying them.

He lamented that General Musharraf (Retd) introduced very aggressive policy against trade unionism as he privatised many public departments including PTCL. Aasim Sajjad Akhtar noted the existence of strong trade unions was obligatory for the democracy and democratic process of the country adding that currently trade unions were weak and vulnerable.

ISLAMABAD- Speakers at a seminar said that no country, democracy or society can progress sans it facilitates and promotes a culture of independent society and unions, which represent peoples' aspirations.

The seminar entitled "Trade unionism and role of political parties in Pakistan" organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). Ch. Manzoor Ahmed of PPP, Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Azad Qadri of Pak Telecom Labor Union, Khalid Bhatti of Trade Union Rights Campaign (TURC) and Aasim Sajjad Akhtar, People's Rights Movement (PRM) spoke on the occasion while Faisal Gorchani of SDPI moderated the proceedings.

Ch. Manzoor Ahmed, giving a detailed account of rise and decline of trade unionism and labor movements in Pakistan, maintained that a social transformation and change in the system of state was only viable option' to reasonably safeguard the interests and rights of workers and labors in the country. He lamented that the leadership' of trade unions have betrayed more their constituencies than to anyone else adding that the leftists sidelined themselves from electoral politics during 70s which created space for labor and workers unfriendly representation in the real politics causing harm to such movements. Criticizing the negative mindset, attitude of bureaucracy against political governments and an incapacity of state for under-utilization of public funds, he said that present PPP government was ready to abolish Removal from Services Act 2002, and relatively labor-friendly policy is to be announced next organizations are nursery for a reform-oriented political and democratic system, and weakening of such process means weakening of reform and democratic process," he added.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan underlined 'that the political parties should now stop exploiting trade unions for their specific interests and structure of state and its thinking be changed. Citing the efforts of his party regarding prohibition of child and bonded labor and support for ILO conventions, he urged changing the definition of law which terms master-servant relation instead of owner-labor relation, end to fragmentation of law, inclusion of informal labor in contractual system, labor-unfriendly process of finance bill, uniformity of law with regard to industries' registration, registration of agricultural labor, and a well thought strategy for the process of privatization.

Khalid Bhatti, giving a chronology of policies and actions of successive governments regarding trade unions, deplored that no political party wants to see a strong trade union system in Pakistan, which can genuinely protect the rights and welfare of workers and labors. He termed the era of late1960 and 70s as gold period for the mushrooming of trade unions in Pakistan adding that except to this period no political party or ruling elite has' allowed flourishing the unions' development in the country because they fell politically threatened.

"The unions have been undergoing targeted treatment including ban, threats and attacks adding that unfortunately again ruining class doesn't realize the importance of trade, student and other unions for the development of country he added.

‘Change in system must for workers rights’
Dawn
14 April 2009
Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Representatives of trade unions and mainstream political parties here on Monday expressed their resolve to overhaul state structure and its thinking paradigm from being an oppressive state to a development and welfare state.

Speaking at a seminar, “Trade unionism and role of political parties”, organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), they highlighted the consistent poor governance and weak role of political parties and trade unions.

Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed of the PPP said social transformation and change in the system of state was only viable option to safeguard the rights of workers and labourers in the country.

However, he lamented that the leadership of trade unions had betrayed their constituencies more than anyone else, adding the leftists sidelined themselves from electoral politics during the ‘70s, which created space for those unfriendly to the labourers and workers.

Criticising what he said the negative mind set and attitude of bureaucracy against political governments, he announced that the Removal from Services Act 2002 would be abolished and a relatively labour-friendly policy announced next month.

“Strong movements and organisations are a nursery for reforms-oriented political and democratic system, and weakening of such process means weakening of reform and democratic process,” he added.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) said political parties should stop exploiting trade unions for their specific interests and the structure of state and its thinking has to be changed.

Citing the efforts of his party regarding prohibition of child and bonded labour and support for ILO conventions, he said the definition in the law of the terms master-servant relation should instead be changed to ownerlabour relation.

Khalid Bhatti of Trade Union Rights Campaign said no political party wanted to see a strong trade union system in Pakistan which can genuinely protect the rights and welfare of workers and labourers.

He said late 1960, and ‘70s were golden period for the mushrooming of trade unions in Pakistan, adding except for this period no political party or ruling elite had allowed trade unions to develop and grow.

“The unions have been undergoing targeted treatment including bans, threats and attacks,” he said, adding the ruling class did not realise the importance of trade, student and other unions for the development of a country.

Azad Qadri of Pak-Telecom Labour Union said political parties exploited trade unionism only for their own limited interests and when those interests were served they started destroying them. He lamented that Gen (retired) Pervez Musharraf had introduced a very aggressive policy against trade unionism and privatized many public institutions including the PTCL. He said there was no policy, reform or legislation for the agriculture and domestic workers.

Rasheed Khalid

Social transformation and change in the system of the state are the only viable options to reasonably safeguard interests and rights of workers and labourers in the country, PPP leader Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed said.

He was addressing a seminar on ‘Trade unionism and role of political parties in Pakistan’ organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute here on Monday. He lamented that the leadership of trade unions betrayed their constituents more than anyone else. He said that the leftists sidelined themselves from electoral politics during seventies, which created space for labour- and worker-unfriendly representation in the real politics causing harm to such movements.

Criticising the negative mindset and attitude of bureaucracy against political governments and incapacity of the state for under-utilising public funds, he said that the PPP government was ready to abolish Removal from Services Act 2002 and a relatively labour-friendly policy would be announced next month. Strong movements and organisations are nursery for a reform-oriented political and democratic system and weakening of such a process weakens reform and democratic process, he observed.

Aasim Sajjad Akhtar of the People’s Rights Movement said that the existence of strong trade unions was obligatory for democracy and democratic process of the country. He added that currently trade unions were weak and vulnerable. He demanded that the state should respect the right of organisation and expression as all movements represent people’s aspirations.

He stressed on the need for a political will on the part of ruling elite in addition to strengthening of balanced forces, lobbying and networking to change policies of the state and its consistent neo-liberal policies.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan of the PML-N said that political parties should now stop exploiting trade unions for their specific interests and structure of the state and its thinking needs to be changed. He called for changing the definition of law, which treats labourers as servants of masters instead of owner-labour relation.

Khalid Bhatti of the Trade Union Rights Campaign deplored that no political party wants to see a strong trade union system which genuinely protects the rights and welfare of workers and labourers in Pakistan. He termed the era of late sixties and seventies a golden period for the mushrooming of trade unions in Pakistan, adding that except for this period no political party or ruling elite allowed flourishing of trade unions.

Azad Qadri of the Pak Telecom Labour Union lamented that General (r) Pervez Musharraf introduced an aggressive policy against trade unionism and privatised many public departments, including the Pakistan Telecommunication Company limited.

Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), and Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART, Switzerland have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for developing a three-year remediation strategy for contaminated site to safeguard public health and environment.

DR Paul Steffen, Director ART and Dr Abid Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI signed the MoA on behalf of their respective organisations. The project is a joint initiative by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC), as part of their research partnership programme with the developing countries.

Both the organisations will co-operate under the framework of Joint Research Project (JRP) on Evaluation of activated carbon amendment for reclamation of a DDT-contaminated site in Pakistan (ACDC). Dr Mahmood A Khwaja, Research Fellow at SDPI and Dr Thomas Bucheli from ART will be the focal persons on behalf of both organisations.-PR

SDPI signs agreement with Swiss institute
The News International
Thursday, April 09, 2009
by Our correspondent
Islamabad

Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Agroscope Reckenholz-Tanikon Research Station ART, Reckenholzstr, Zurich, Switzerland have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for developing a 3-year remediation strategy for contaminated site to safeguard public health and environment.

Dr. Paul Steffen, Director ART and Dr. Abid Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI signed the MoA on behalf of their respective organisations.

The project is a joint initiative by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), as part of their research partnership programme with developing countries.

Both the organisations will cooperate under the framework of Joint Research Project (JRP) on ‘Evaluation of activated carbon amendment for reclamation of a DDT-contaminated site in Pakistan (ACDC)’ Dr. Mahmood A. Khwaja, research fellow at SDPI and Dr. Thomas Bucheli from ART will be the focal persons on behalf of both the organisations.

Establishment of Saarc University underway
The News
07 April 2009
Islamabad

The process of establishing a Saarc University is underway and there had been an agreement over critical issues like students-teachers ratio and management of the university, said Dhaka University’s Professor of International Relations, Dr Imtiaz Ahmed.

The educationist from Bangladesh was speaking at a seminar on ‘Fostering regional consciousness: the organisation and planning of South Asian University’ organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute here on Monday.

Prof Ahmad said that the main campus of the university would be established in Delhi while different campuses dealing with specialised subjects would be established in each Saarc country with maximum autonomy. He stressed upon the need of taking a decision to establish all these campuses simultaneously adding the rules and regulations of the university were in the formative stage and it would be difficult to change or alter them at later stage.

He said that the university campuses would be established under public-private partnerships where the host country would provide land and support for infrastructure building while institutional and running costs would be met by shared funds. He said that Indian government had already given 100 hectares of land for the purpose.

Dr Ahmed said that initially post-graduate level programmes and short training courses will be started and scope would be upgraded to higher levels subsequently. He said that the idea of having such a university was borrowed from University of West Indies while Asian University of Women, Dhaka, was also based on similar model. He hoped that the university would bring students and teachers from all South Asian countries together.

Earlier, Dr Saba Gul Khattak, former Executive Director of SDPI, said that Saarc members are facing common challenges of violence, poverty, environment, water, refugees, injustices etc and academicians and experts of the region working in the same institution can handle them in a better way.

Referring to violence-related historical events across South Asia and current wave of terrorism, she said that Pakistan is not burning alone and violence plagued all the countries in the region. She said that taking a united initiative was an important way forward to tackle the common challenges. She said that Saarc University would not be a traditional outfit, rather its different campuses and exchange of alternate narratives would better enable us to tackle these issues critical to South Asian collective consciousness.

In the question hour, the participants called for accelerating the pace of setting up of the university. They also asked Pakistan to establish a task force to address critical issues in this process at national level including the sense of ownership to this concept.

ISLAMABAD, April 6: Academicians and experts have called upon Saarc countries to accelerate the process of establishing a South Asian university to foster 'regional consciousness' and deal collectively with the common challenges faced by the region.

The experts believe that illiteracy, poverty, violence, militarisation, inequality and lack of interaction are the key issues faced by the citizens of South Asia.

These views were expressed at a seminar titled “Fostering regional consciousness: the organisation and planning of South Asian University” organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) here on Monday. Professor International Relations, Dhaka University, Prof Dr Imtiaz Ahmed and visiting research fellow at the SDPI Dr Saba Gul Khattak highlighted the need for a South Asian university for Saarc-member countries.

Prof Imtiaz Ahmed, citing the thirteenth and fourteenth Saarc summits where the idea of this university was discussed and an inter-governmental steering committee was formed to advance the process, said the agreement had been reached so far over critical issues of students' ratio, faculty ratio and the management of the university.

He said the main campus of the university would be established at Delhi, India, while different specialised campuses would be established in each Saarc-member country with maximum autonomy.

"However all the campuses should be decided simultaneously since the rules and regulations were in the formation phase and He it would be difficult to change or alter them once they are agreed upon," he underlined.

Talking of funding, Prof Imtiaz said the university campuses would be established under public-private partnerships where the host country would provide land and support for infrastructure building, while institutional and running costs would be met by shared funds.

The seminar was informed that the Indian government had already provided 100 hectares for building the main university campus.

"The idea of such a university is taken from University of West Indies, while Asian University of Women, Dhaka, is also built on a similar model," Dr Ahmed added.
The materialisation of this university will bring together students and faculties from all South Asian countries, which was critical not only to those states but to the region, he said.

Earlier, Dr Saba, giving a brief historical context about the imagination of this university, said the common challenges of violence, poverty, environment, water, refugees etc across the border and intra-countries led the academicians and experts to think about such an initiative.

Dr Saba said: "Peoples union of South Asians is an important way forward to tackle common challenges of poverty, violence, injustices and lack of interaction."

Senior Research Fellow at the SDPI Dr A.H. Nayyar presided over the proceedings.

SAARC countries urged to gear up process
The Nation
April 07, 2009
Islamabad

ISLAMABAD- Experts call upon the SAARC countries to accelerate the process of establishing a South Asian University to foster the ‘regional consciousness’ and to ensure peoples union in the Area to collectively deal with the common challenges of illiteracy, poverty, violence, militarization, inequality and lack of interaction.

Prof Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and visiting research fellow at the SDPI, Dr Saba Gul Khattak highlighted the need of a South Asian University for SAARC member countries at a seminar entitled “ Fostering regional consciousness: the organisation and planning of South Asian University” organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) on Monday.

Prof Imtiaz Ahmed, citing the thirteenth and fourteenth SAARC summits, where the idea of this university was discussed and an Inter-governmental Steering Committee was formed to advance the process, said that the agreement has been reached so far over critical issues of students’ ratio, faculty ratio, and the management of the University.

He said that the main campus of the university would be established at Delhi, India while different specialised campuses would be established in each SAARC member country with maximum autonomy. “However all the campuses should be decided simultaneously since the rules and regulations were in the formation phase and it would be difficult to change or alter them once they are agreed upon” he underlined.

Talking of funding, he said that the university campuses would be established under public-private partnerships where host country would provide land and support for infrastructure building while institutional and running costs would be met by shared funds adding government of India has already provided 100 hectares land for building the main campus.

Setting up of South Asian University: Saarc urged to speed up process
Business Recorder
07 April 2009
Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The academicians and experts called upon the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc) countries to accelerate the process of establishing a South Asian University to foster the regional consciousnesses.

It will help to ensure peoples union in South Asia vital to collectively deal with the common challenges of illiteracy, poverty, violence, militarisation, inequality and lack of interaction.

They urged Pakistan to establish a task force to address the critical issues in this process at national level including the sense of ownership to this concept. Professor Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and visiting research fellow at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Dr Saba Gul Khattak highlighted the need of a South Asian University for Saarc member countries at a seminar entitled "Fostering regional consciousness."

Professor Imtiaz said that the main campus of the university would be established at Delhi, India while different specialised campuses would be established in each Saarc member country with maximum autonomy. "However all the campuses should be decided simultaneously since the rules and regulations were in the formation phase and it would be difficult to change or alter them once they are agreed upon" he underlined.

Talking of funding, he said that the university campuses would be established under public-private partnerships where host country would provide land and support for infrastructure building while institutional and running costs would be met by shared funds, adding government of India has already provided 100 hectares land for building the main campus.

Dr Ahmed said that initially post-graduate level programmes and short training courses will be started at these campuses while the scope of this inter-disciplinary and cross-cultural educational approach would be extended to other educational levels. Earlier, Dr Saba said that the common challenges of violence, poverty, environment, water, refugees etc across the border and intra-countries led the academicians and experts to think about such an initiative.

Dr Saba resolved that the peoples union of South Asians is an important way forward to tackle common challenges of poverty, violence, injustices, and lack of interaction. She further urged free exchange of people across the border and joint institutions to investigate the cases of violence and war crimes.

Dr Saba narrating the common history of South Asia, lamented the systems of insecurity and jingoism, and dominance of narrow state-narratives about historical facts. "Its not a traditional university rather its different campuses and exchange of alternate narratives would better enable us to tackle these issues critical to South Asian collective consciousness" she added.