Category: Education

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) The second day of the 11^th Karachi Literature Festival, which is being organized by Oxford University Press (OUP), was again an affair full of invigorating discourses and vibrant performances.

The day started off with an informative workshop held on ‘Media Literacy and Misinformation’ conducted by Sabrina Toppa, an award winning US Journalist based in Pakistan.

The renowned historian William Dalrymple made a presentation on the book Forgotten Masters: Indian Painting for the East India Company that has been edited by him. The journalist George Fulton introduced Dalrymple. Following this session, there was a conversation on ‘Aurton kay Takhleeqi Shaoor say Inkaar Kiyun?’ between Zehra Nigah and Arfa Sayeda Zehra. This was followed by readings from Hijabistan by Sanam Saeed, along with a discussion between Sabyn Javeri, Sanam Saeed, and Saima Saleem. A session which attracted a great deal of interest was ‘The Deepening Crisis of the Middle East’ featuring Ahdaf Soueif, Massimo Ramaioli, Shahid Amin and Zafar Hilaly as panellists.

Ten book launches took place on the second day of KLF including that of The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company by William Dalrymple; On Their Own Terms: Early Twenty First Century Women’s Movements in Pakistan by Fouzia Saeed; Transgressions: Poems Inspired by Faiz Ahmed Faiz by Anjum Altaf; Tooti hui Tanab Udhar by Asghar Nadeem Syed; Subjective Atlas of Pakistan by Taqi Shaheen and Annelys de Vet; Interpretations of Jihad: An Intellectual History by Tariq Rahman; and Zair e Aasman by Shahid Siddiqui.

A discussion on Love, Relationships and Muslim Women’s Writing took place between Claire Chambers, Muneeza Shamsie, David Waterman and Sabyn Javeri, and it was moderated by Ilona Yusuf.

Dastangoi by NAPA featured pieces from Marhoom ki Yaad Mein by Patras Bukhari, Zikr e Khooban al Maroof Aurat ki Takhleeq by Mir Baqir Ali and Fasana e Azaad by Pandit Ratan Nath Sarshar. Tehrik-e-Niswan presented an enactment of Ismat Chugtai’s short story ‘Kaafir’ promoting interfaith harmony with an introduction by Sheema Kermani.

A discussion on the book Prison Interlude: The Last Eyewitness Account of the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case by Zafarullah Poshni was also held on the second day of KLF. The speakers were Zafar Ullah Poshni, Mazhar Abbas, Kamal Azfar and Wusatullah Khan. The moderator was Owais Tohid.

Kishwar Naheed and Noorul Huda Shah were in conversation on Khawateen ka Mazahimati Adab in later half of the day. Highlighting the water problem in Karachi, ‘Drop by Drop: Karachi’s Water Crisis’ was another important session held with Farrukh Rasheed, Babar Siddiqui, Wusatullah Khan, and Khalid Shaikh as speakers.

A panel discussion on the poetry of Noon Meem Rashid titled ‘Nazm e Azad, Shayar e Azad’ included Pirzada Qasim, Asghar Nadeem Syed,  Nasim Syed, and Khalid Ahmad as speakers and Mujahid Barelvi as the moderator.

A discussion by Sharif Awan and Athar Masood was held on the topic ‘Traditional Music on Modern Media: Is there a Symphony in this Noise?’. In line with the theme of this year’s festival, an enlightening discussion took place titled ‘Shumali aur Lateeni Amreeki Adab Pakistan Mein’. It featured Nasim Syed, Nasir Abbas Nayyar, and Syed Kashif Raza as panellists.

Other stimulating sessions that took place include ‘Indus Flows: Poetry, Mysticism, and Romance’ and ‘The Political Character of Pakistani Middle Class’. A session on Performance Poetry called ‘The Spoken Word’ was presented by young poetsAnnum Salman, Vaneeza Sohail, Shehrbano Naqvi, Shameneh Majid, Zoha Jabbar, Hamza Iftikar, Zain Baweja, and Batool Hasan.

Screening of award-winning films of the 2019 EACPE video competition was presented by Getz Pharma. The film submissions were on the theme ‘Is Pakistan a Brave Nation?’

Screening of the feature film Baaji directed by Saqib Malik attracted a huge number of film lovers. A musical performance by ACMA band, presented by Arts Council of Pakistan, marked the end of the second day of KLF.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)“This is a very exhilarating experience for me. I have never seen so many literary icons in one place and it is a real honour to be able to meet them and discuss issues of common interest. The very richness of this occasion fascinates me and creates in me the wish that instead of being a former bureaucrat and now a minister, I should also have followed the profession of art and literature and expressed my thoughts and feelings in a free-flowing manner.”

“As you would be aware, the subject of education is a major priority for the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan and he has given me special instructions to make education viable and progressive if Pakistan is to move ahead on the path of national development. It is events like the Karachi Literature Festival that greatly enable our government to further the cause of education because these events promote the habit of reading and healthy discourse between individuals of all ages.”

This was stated by Mr Shafqat Mahmood, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, who was the Chief Guest at the inauguration of the 11th Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) on 28 February 2020 at the Beach Luxury Hotel. The Karachi Literature Festival is a three-day event being held on 28, 29 February and March 1.

After the inauguration, on 28 February, the following two days of the Festival will comprise full days of discussions, talks, readings, author signings, art exhibition, performances, talks and discussions, etc. A food court and book fair have also been set up at the Festival.

The theme of the Festival this year is ‘Across Continents: How the Word Travels.’ As every year for the past ten years, the purpose of KLF is to bring together international and Pakistani writers to promote reading and showcase writing at its best.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Mr. Arshad Saeed Hussain, Managing Director, Oxford University Press Pakistan, said, “The institution I head is, by its nature, deeply involved in the process of educating Pakistan. I would suggest to you that an event like the eleventh KLF we are inaugurating today, is part and parcel of that process. By bringing together scholars, intellectuals, artists, writers, and policy makers to engage in discussion over many issues, we are creating living examples of Critical Thinking to place before you. By testing and sharpening new and maybe challenging ideas, we are encouraging innovative thinking and promoting Thought Leadership. In this festive spirit, we continue to encourage the habit of reading among young and old alike.”

He further added, “KLF brings us together to express ourselves creatively and to engage with the fast changing political situations that surround us, through literature, music, poetry, songs, visual performing arts and other genres. KLF is a platform for people to speak in an open and free forum in celebration of the human spirit in all its forms.”

The Guest of Honour, H. E. Dr Christian Turner CMG, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, spoke on the occasion of his very interesting experience of being in Pakistan and his deep fascination with the country’s cultural identity.

Remarks were also made on the occasion by Jason Green, Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate, and Ms. Anna Ruffino, Consul General of Italy in Karachi, while Keynote Speeches were delivered by Mr. William Dalrymple, author and historian, and Ms. Zaheda Hina, Urdu short story writer and playwright.

Several book awards instituted by KLF were also announced on the occasion. These comprised:

KLF-Infaq Foundation Urdu Literature Prize. The books shortlisted for this prize were Chaar Darwesh aur Aik Kachwa by Syed Kashif Raza, Ae Falak-e-Na Insaf by Hasan Manzar and Sindhi Adab: Aik Mukhtasir Tareekh by Attiya Dawood. The winner was Ae Falak-e-Na Insaf by Hasan Manzar. The jury comprised Mr Asghar Nadeem Syed, Dr Nasir Abbas Nayyar, and Mr Hameed Shahid.

KLF-Getz Pharma Fiction Prize. The shortlisted books were Call Me Al by Sheheryar Sheikh, The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali by Uzma Aslam Khan, Red Birds by Mohammed Hanif and The Selected Works of Abdullah the Cossack by H M Naqvi. Red Birds by Mohammed Hanif won the Prize. The jury of the prize comprised Mr Ghazi Salahuddin, Ms Hoori Noorani and Dr Nadya Chishty-Mujahid.

KLF-HabibMetro Non-Fiction Prize. The books short-listed comprised Interpretation of Jihad in South Asia by Tariq Rahman, The Parliament of Pakistan by Mehboob Hussain, and From Kargil to the Coup by Nasim Zehra. Interpretation of Jihad in South Asia by Tariq Rahman was declared the winning entry. The jury of the Prize comprised Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed, Mr Zafar Hilaly and Mr Muhammad Ali Siddiqi.

The Awards function was followed by a Kathak performance by Zahshanné Malik titled ‘A Tribute to Perveen Shakir’.

The first day of the KLF featured a session ‘The Story of Qawwali’ based on a talk by Ally Adnan which was interspersed with performances by Ghayoor-Moiz-Mustafa Qawwal, Farid Ayaz and Abu Mohammad. A discussion was held on ‘Education in Pakistan: A Roller Coaster Ride’ and featured Shafqat Mahmood, Asad Ali Shah, Amjad Waheed and Shahid Siddiqui as speakers. Baela Raza Jamil moderated the discussion.

A discussion titled ‘Challenges to International Diplomacy Today’ was also held on the opening day of KLF. The panellists included Christian Turner, Shahid Amin and Tariq Waseem Ghazi and Shaheen Salahuddin was the Moderator.

A session titled ‘Women of Substance’ was also organized centering around the lives of Fatima Jinnah, Benazir Bhutto and Asma Jehangir. Participants in the discussion were Victoria Schofield, Sheema Kirmani and Karamat Ali.  The moderator was Fouzia Saeed.

‘The Atlantic Muse by the Arabian Sea: Poetry in English’ featured poetry recitations by emerging as well as established poets like Adrian Husain, Arfa Ezazi, Farida Faizullah, Fatima Ijaz, Harris Khalique, Ilona Yusuf, Maya Nadeem, Peerzada Salman, Sadaf Halai and Tehmina Ahmed.

WWF-Pakistan and The Coca-Cola Foundation join hands for

World Without Waste at The Panda Challenge 2020

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) WWF-Pakistan and The Coca-Cola Foundation collaborated to host the finale of ‘The Panda Challenge 2020’ school competition organized at the Ali Institute of Education in Lahore on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. The event was graced by the presence of chief guest Minister for Provincial Assembly, Sumera Shams who distributed medals, shields and certificates to all the winners in the presence of top management officials from WWF Pakistan and Coca-Cola. This grand finale was the third and final stage of the school engagement program, prior to which orientations and activities took place in schools involving over 30,000 students who competed to be shortlisted as semi-finalists and finalists.

The Panda Challenge is an interschool activity which brings together students from grade 1 to 8 from different schools. The 2020 Challenge was organized to not only help raise awareness about the environment but to create a platform that helps the youth in honing their public speaking abilities, mental faculties, artistic endeavors and creative writing capabilities around the theme of plastic pollution. The event’s aim was to promote healthy competition and to rouse the academic curiosity of students through activities like quizzes, rapid-fire rounds, masking posters, creative writing, speeches and debates. Prior to the Lahore event, the finales of Islamabad and Karachi were organized on 12^th and 19^th of February respectively.

Following the success of The Panda Challenge 2019, The Coca-Cola Foundation collaborated with WWF-Pakistan through its World Without Waste initiative, that spreads the message of action against plastic pollution across 100 private and government schools around the nation; about how plastic can be used responsibly and that the solution to mitigate plastic pollution requires collective effort.

Fahad Qadir, Director Public Affairs & Communications at The Coca-Cola Export Corporation for Pakistan & Afghanistan regions stated, “Coca-Cola has partnered with WWF to create awareness around safe segregation and disposal of plastics to mitigate the impact of plastic pollution. Our youth is the torch bearer and through initiatives like The Panda Challenge, we want to reach out to over 100 schools and hundreds of families to disseminate helpful information around plastic waste management since educational awareness has an exponentially positive impact on our society. We are excited to be part of this journey with WWF and we aim to reduce, reuse and recycle our packaging waste by 2030.” 

Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan added, “It has always been our prerogative to engage in educational pursuits that not only enlighten but impart knowledge and help the youth gain a fresh perceptive on the importance of the environment and its conservation. The idea behind such an all-inclusive inter-school event was to make the younger generation cognizant of key environmental issues and challenges through a host of activities so that they not only know but grow up to be enlightened citizens heralding in change that we so desperately need. We’re very proud of hosting and organizing such events and will continue to do so to spread the message of a clean and safe environment.”

Through this challenge, the environmental education program of WWF-Pakistan brought together students on one platform to expand their academic horizons by focusing on environmental issues and for giving them an opportunity to express their concerns, focusing on solutions and getting a fresh perspective through interaction and discourse.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) A cheque distribution ceremony for Batch 2 of the Sindh Research Incubation Center (SRIC) was held at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi’s Center for Information and Communication Technology (IBA-CICT). The incubates of SRIC received cheques from the Government of Sindh to support their startups. 

During the ceremony, the incubates of SRIC demonstrated progress of their startups in the form of presentations. SRIC is a technology incubator that facilitates the incubation process for 12 months. It is a project of the Information Science & Technology Department (IS&TD), Government of Sindh in collaboration with the IBA Karachi.

The chief guest of the ceremony was Minister, IS&TD, Nawab Muhammad Taimur Talpur while IS&TD was represented by Secretary, Muhammad Nawaz Naseem, Director General, Muhammad Yousuf and Advisor to Minister Syed Zainulabedin Shah, while IBA Karachi was represented by Director ICT & CICT IBA Karachi, Imran Batada. The ceremony was also attended by several C-level executives from the industry.

Mr. Batada in his welcome speech congratulated the startups and appreciated their progress. He said, “The SRIC Project is a great achievement for the Government of Sindh and IBA-CICT. We are trying our level best in helping these incubates progress through diploma programs and state-of-the-art-facilities at the IBA.”

On this occasion, Mr. Talpur said, “The SRIC project is part of our manifesto to promote entrepreneurship culture among the youth.” He also appreciated the efforts made by IBA-CICT for running the SRIC project with utmost efficiency and providing the incubates a supportive environment where they can thrive and achieve their goals.

Mr. Yousuf in his address said, “The startups of SRIC will create job opportunities, bring new innovation in the market and contribute in the alleviation of poverty.”

As per this project, IBA-CICT provides the selected startups incubation facilities for 12 months which include co-working space at the Institute, utilities, and access to investors. The objective is to ensure sustainable growth for early stage ideas related to the field of IT by providing domain specific mentorship and investment opportunities to create commercially viable technology startups from Sindh.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) The Impact Female Scholarship Programme certificate distribution ceremony by ICI Pakistan Ltd. was held at the IBA Karachi, Main Campus. The organization extended its support through a scholarship grant for one female undergraduate student at the Institute. The IBA was represented by Director, Alumni Corporate Relations and Communications Department (ACRC) Malahat Awan, Senior Manager, Corporate Relations & Communications (CRC) Haris Tohid Siddiqui, Manager, Career Development Center (CDC) Danish Imtiaz and Assistant Manager, Financial Aid Tanveer Ahmed. ICI Pakistan Ltd. was represented by Manager, Talent Acquisition and Culture Hira Mullick, Assistant Manager, Talent Acquisition Fizzah Khan and Graduate Recruit and an IBA alumna, Ayesha Arshad.

The recipient of the scholarship Misbah Raja, is a freshman student from the BS Economics and Mathematics program. All the candidates were assessed through a video based assessment and interview rounds. She was selected from a pool of candidates on the basis of her extra ordinary performance during the selection process. She highlighted the importance of women empowerment and furthering the cause of education, which are the two values which ICI Pakistan also believes in strongly. 

ICI Pakistan launched the Impact Female Scholarship Programme in 2016 for the sole purpose of women empowerment and facilitating higher education. ICI Pakistan is currently sponsoring four students under this initiative with plans to launch similar programs in the upcoming year.Further avenues of collaboration between the IBA and ICI were also discussed, including corporate internships, career counselling and work experience opportunities for the IBA students.

The ceremony concluded with the ICI representatives presenting a certificate to Misbah and expressing their enthusiasm for further collaborations with the IBA.

Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir) Mr. Syed Fakhar Imam-Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, Mr. Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi-Provincial Minister of Punjab for Management & Professional Development and Mr. Syed Hasnain Abbas
Gardezi-Chairman, Noor-ul-Huda Trust® inaugurated “The AIMS School &
College” at Murree Expressway located in suburbs of Islamabad.

Large number of stakeholders, donors, students and well-wishers
attended the session. Mr. Syed Fakhar Imam-Chairman, Parliamentary
Committee on Kashmir and Mr. Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi-Provincial
Minister graced the occasion.

The AIMS School & College was established aimed to impart quality
education to the students belonging to the poorest and marginalized
communities and provides free education and boarding facilities to the
poor students who can’t afford education facilities. The students from
Class 6th to 12th Grade are living at the temporary hostel belonging
from all provinces of Pakistan including Federal Capital, Punjab,
Sindh, Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir.

Mr. Syed Fakhar Imam-Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir
appreciated the donors, stakeholders and well-wishers of Noorul Huda
Trust® for extending their valuable financial and human support in
construction this education complex at this rural place in suburbs of
Islamabad.

Mr. Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi-Provincial Minister of Punjab for
Management & Professional Development said that such initiatives would
build the future of Pakistan and these students who were not able to
afford quality education will be able to become part of the economic
development. He congratulating the Noorul Huda Trust® team on the
successful completion of phase-1 of the project and assured all
assistance to achieve their objectives.

The Noorul Huda Trust® which was established in year 2004 aimed to
enhance the standards of education (regional and traditional) in the
country. The Trust has established two institutions of Jamia Al-Raza
(A.S.) & Masooma Institute of Islamic Studies (MIIS) in their own
constructed buildings, the Trust completed an academic block of “The
AIMS School & College” in Phase-1.

Syed Hasnain Abbas Gardezi-Chairman, Noorul Huda Trust® said that, to
address the future requirements of the students, the Noorul Huda
Trust® has planned to construct Yousuf Hostel and a Masjid Block in
Phase-2 of the project. As many as 500 students from across the
country enrollment will be managed at The AIMS School & College and at
Yousuf Hostel.

Noorul Huda Trust® Islamabad is involved in high standard educational
and extracurricular activities since long as an NGO and its finances
are managed & based on donations, presents and gifts. The trust needs
the help & cooperation for the construction of the project from some
sincere & philanthropic persons. The preliminary design, work plan and
cost analysis is ready for the proposed projects.

Mr. Syed Hussain Abbas Gardezi-Chairman, Noorul Huda Trust®
acknowledged the support of donors and informed the guests about
upcoming initiatives including Yousuf Hostel and Masjid Block.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) During his recent visit to Pakistan, Jaafar Jackson, rising singer and entertainer, visited a TCF school in Korangi, where he was briefed about TCF’s work and mission to educate the less privileged children of Pakistan. Jaafar took this opportunity to interact with the students and school staff and highly appreciated TCF’s efforts in enabling education for children living in extreme poverty. He was highly impressed by TCF’s scale of operations and success in breaking down barriers to education.

 

Today, the Global Economic Themes report was jointly published by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and IMA^® (Institute of Management Accountants). The report examines three of the longer-term structural issues that are affecting the global economy as well as the global economic impact of the US-China trade tensions. The three issues are:   

• The Euro – fiscal integration needed

The Euro has survived its first two decades, despite several financial crises that threatened its very existence. But it has not been a success – it has failed to deliver the real economic convergence among its members claimed for it at the outset. Indeed, the Euro’s “one size fits all” monetary policy has delivered economic divergence, not convergence. History suggests that monetary unions only survive in the long run if they become fiscal unions too. The next two decades of the Euro are likely to see further progress in this direction ultimately resulting in a eurozone Finance ministry with tax and spending powers. Limited progress so far has come following financial crises – a prime candidate for the next eurozone crisis is Italy, where public sector debt is very high and the banking system increasingly fragile.

 

• China – becoming rich before it becomes old?

Many analysts have predicted that this century will belong to China. Indeed, China has great advantages, including a modern infrastructure, a large domestic market that allows firms to exploit economies of scale and an advanced digital economy. But there are challenges that must be overcome if China is to succeed in propelling itself from a middle-income country to a high income one. High levels of debt, especially among State Owned Enterprises, are now limiting the ability of the authorities to stimulate growth through lower interest rates. In addition, the population of working age is now declining as the population as a whole ages. This will both reduce the trend rate of GDP growth and increase the dependency ratio – fewer workers in relation to an increasing number of older people.

• The USA – public debt challenges

The U.S. economy has now expanded continuously for over 10 years, the longest such period in over 150 years. But there are structural changes that represent challenges for policymakers. Perhaps the greatest concern arises from the level of public sector debt, which is on track to reach its highest level since 1946. More positively, the U.S. can operate at lower levels of unemployment without generating upward pressure on inflation. Finally, the resurgence of the oil industry and the emergence of the U.S. as a net exporter of oil is a positive for the economy because it is not reliant on the Middle East for supplies. But again, it is one that requires an adjustment in policy responses and may introduce greater volatility to the economic cycle. Now a lot of investment and spending is tied into the oil market therefore this could increase volatility in the oil sector.

Michael Taylor, Chief Economist at ACCA said: ‘The articles in the Global Economic Themes report look at economic issues that are likely to have an impact over the longer term.  

‘Through much of last year, US-China trade tensions increased which undermined business confidence and investment as well as contributing to a sharp slowdown in global trade. A recent improvement in trade relations resulted in a ‘Phase One’ trade deal which included a modest reduction in some tariffs.’   

Taylor added: ‘China’s economy now faces very serious challenges with the coronavirus epidemic. Extended factory closures and travel restrictions may well completely stall the economy in the first quarter of the year. But provided the virus is brought under control soon, we would expect activity to recover fairly quickly later in the year. However, a prolonged crisis could result in a more permanent reduction in Chinese economic growth for example, if there were significant job losses that further reduce consumer confidence and spending.’

Raef Lawson, Ph.D., CMA, CPA, IMA vice president of research and policy, said, ‘We saw confidence in the U.S. tread low throughout the year before an uptick in Q4. The economy continues to expand, and fears of a recession have quelled with continued consumer spending and rising wages. With 2020 being a U.S. presidential election year, confidence should continue to move upward.’

“Global Economic Themes” can be found online here:

ACCA’s economic analysis (7 February 2020) of the coronavirus is here: https://www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/ACCA_Global/professional-insights/GECS_Global_Economic_Themes_2020/Economic_Briefing_Coronavirus.Michael_Taylor.pdf

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)  The Institute of Business Administration, Karachi’s Center for Information and Communication Technology (IBA-CICT) has signed a contract with the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) to execute the Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan National Youth Development Program 2020.

Sharing his views on this occasion, Director ICT and CICT IBA Karachi, Mr. Imran Batada said, “I would like to appreciate the efforts of the federal government for initiating this program. We have devised the course outline of this program in such a way that the students will study up-to-date courses and will have hands-on experience on different tools.”

Director General NAVTTC Karachi, Ms. Nabila Umer said, “Kamyab Jawan Program aims at providing quality training to the youth of Pakistan. The initiative of training in hi-tech disciplines is a first-of-its-kind, and is funded by NAVTTC. The criteria of the selection of implementation partners is based on their standards, infrastructure and capacity to impart quality training. This initiative will prove to be a game changer and an avenue to provide employment opportunities for the youth. NAVTTC in collaboration with the IBA, Karachi and other universities of Sindh wants to prepare the youth to step into the digital age.”

Deputy Director NAVTTC Sindh Azizullah Chandio, Deputy Director NAVTTC Irfan Haider, and Assistant Manager NAVTTC Sindh Abdul Qadeer Sohoo also attended the ceremony.

Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan National Youth Development Program 2020 aims at providing practical training to the youth in the most in-demand and highly employable high-tech trades and emerging technologies to enable them to seek employment in the national and international market. The high-tech courses of this program include: Big Data, ERP, Digital Forensics, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Block Chain, and Digital Marketing and SEO.