PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) in collaboration with the IMSciences Peshawar is going to host the 35th Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Pakistan Society of Development Economists (PSDE) on “Opportunities to Excel – Now and The Future”, from 23 to 25 November 2021 in Peshawar.
According to a press release issued here on Sunday, the annual conference, which has been held continuously for the last 35 years, is an important platform for researchers, intellectuals, and economists.
The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics provides a platform for academics and policy-makers to exchange ideas on the pressing economic and social problems facing Pakistan. It provides an important forum through the Annual General Meeting and Conference for economic professionals, policymakers, businessmen, and various schools of interested observers for debate concerning development issues.
The spokesperson of PIDE while talking to a group of journalists stated that the PSDE after holding all but one conference in Islamabad has decided to take its conferences to different cities of Pakistan.
The objective is to involve the locals of the city and a wider segment of the society in the debates that the PSDE seeks to generate. It is in this spirit that this year’s conference of the PSDE is being held at Peshawar. It is hoped that the local academia, policymakers and the business community will actively participate in the conference.
Dr Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection and the Chairperson of Ehsaas Tahaffuz program, Taimur Khan Jhagra, Health Minister KP, Dr Arshad Ahmed Vice Chancellor LUMS, Hans Timmer, Chief Economist, South Asia, The World Bank, Najy Benhassine, Prof Cass Sunstein and Prof Dani Rodrik will be the keynote speakers of the 3 days conference, he added.
The Spokesperson further stated that Pakistan is experiencing a youth bulge for over a decade now but has not been able to reap a demographic dividend so far because young people lack the opportunity to let their talent flower.
According to the spokesperson, PSDE wants Pakistan to be a place that allows people to, identify, avail, and maximise opportunity. How would this happen? What is the role of the state, markets, and society in identifying, allowing, and maximising ‘opportunity’? This would be the focus of debate for the 35th AGM and conference of the PSDE.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021