SU holds seminar on Pak-US relations

A day-long seminar on "Pak-US relations" at the University of Sindh Jamshoro on Thursday emphasised the need for Pakistan and the United States to forge a close and long-term strategic relationship that would serve both their mutual interests and that of the region. The seminar, which brought area specialists, students and academic community together, was organised by Pak-US Alumni Network in collaboration with the University of Sindh at Shaikh Ayaz Auditorium, Arts Faculty Building of the Allama I I Kazi campus Jamshoro.
It was addressed by Professor Dr Khalida Ghous, former Chairperson of International Relations University of Karachi, Professor Dr Parvaiz Ahmed pathan, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences SU, Professor Muhammad Yousif Pardesi, Fahim Ahmed Noonari, Dr Siraj-Ul-Haq Kandhro, Professor Akbar Mehesar, Professor Noor Ahmed Jinjhi and others.
Dr Khalida Ghous said, "The US must evolve a broad-based strategic framework for its interactions with Pakistan. Human rights organisations, civil society and the media must be recognised as important stakeholders in an effort to transform Pakistan and the US should not block it from being a sovereign democracy."
She touched on some of the mutual concerns of the two countries have had in recent years and said building trust could greatly spur the bilateral relationship between the two countries. She called for a greater trade access for Pakistani products and a robust inflow of American investment into prospective areas of the country's economy. Dr Ghous further said the time of one-party rule has ended in Pakistan, as it did in India.
"It is mentionable that Pakistan's province, Balochistan where China has invested billions of dollars to develop Gwadar seaport which could link Central Asian trade with the rest of the world, irritates both America and India," she observed. Nonetheless, reality behind Pak-US strategic partnership is that the US has been playing a double game with Pakistan, sometimes cajoling Pakistan with economic and military aid, while appreciating its military operations, sometimes blaming it for cross-border insurgency in Afghanistan.
Professor Dr Parvaiz Ahmed Pathan told the participants that the economy was going to be the main issue for the current government in the country. He said: many changes have taken place in Pakistan, some of which are not recognised yet. For instance, Pakistan is no longer an agricultural country as the sector represents only 26 percent; nor is the majority of its population rural, since 55 per cent of the people live in urban areas.
He spoke admiringly of the big strides made by women. He noted that 40 per cent of the students at Sindh University were women. He also pointed out that the 4 per cent share of the vote that the Islamic parties picked up in the last election came from Pakistan's least developed areas.
With the spread of education, he predicted, this percentage would be further reduced. Dr Pathan said that the Pak-US relations have remained fluctuating from time to time. Therefore, the nexus between the two countries could not be strengthened on permanent basis. Dr Siraj-Ul-Haq Kandhro, who spoke on religious education in Pakistan, said,
"The terms of religion can and should be used to reinforce ideas about modern citizenship, they will be used to reinforce ideas of modern citizenship in Pakistan and we have to appreciate that. The challenge does not lie in choosing or not choosing religious education. The challenge lies in engaging religious education and the different ideas about it and how to understand it in relationship to pluralism, diversity, debate, discussion and change."
Among others Professor Muhammad Yousif Pardesi, Dr Naghma Mangrio and Fahim Ahmed Noonari also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, Singer Zulfiqar Ali Qureshi recited the verses of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and the participants could not help clapping & applauding the vocalist.