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THE NEWS LETTER OF Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Volume 1, Issue 2 Economic Affairs and Law Chief Justice (Retd.) From Secretary General’s desk Saeed Uz Zaman Siddiqui Patron FOURTH YEAR OF KCFR COMMENCES WITH VIGOR Lt. Gen. (Retd.) With the good taste of third anniversary cake cut Moinuddin Haider HI (M) by Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri still in the mouth, Chairman Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Economic Capt. Haleem A. Siddiqui Affairs and Law has entered into the fourth year Co-Chairman of inception. With the success of three years on our back, we have mode an ambitious programme Ambassador (Retd.) for future in the fields of economic growth and S.K. Dehlavi healthcare for the masses of Pakistan, while focus will remain on our Vice Chairman - Foreign Relations prime subject of Foreign Relations. Mr. Najam I. Chaudhri Vice Chairman - Economic Affairs The recent success KCFR made was by organizing a seminar on an important topic both from the foreign relations and economic point Mr. Liaquat H. Merchant of view. Expansion of SAARC : Prospects and Challenges was topic of Vice Chairman - Law the seminar held on 12th November, 2007 at Hotel Pearl Continental, Karachi. A report on this seminar has been included in this issue. Mr. Ahsan Mukhtar Zubairi, Secretary General & CEO Dear Members, KCFR is steadily following the principles of a documented Capt. Anwar Shah, society and it was in this direction that a book on WTO was published Joint Secretary which was focused on one of the three objectives of KCFR i.e. economic affairs. Another book focused on foreign relation entitled “SAARC; EXECUTIVE MEMBERS: Prospects & Challenges” is in the preliminary process of printing. The Amb. (Retd.) Mansoor Alam book has been written by a member of the executive committee of Prof. Dr. Khalida Ghaus KCFR Dr. Khalida Ghaus who is the Managing Director of Social Policy Dr. Asghar Sheikh Nasir Mr. Sultan A. Chawla and Development Centre, Karachi. Cdre. (Retd.) Sadeed A. Malik Membership growth during the last month has been steady. Prominent EDITOR: among those enrolled as new members are Mr. Gulzar Firoz, a prominent Dr. Asghar Sheikh Nasir businessman and chairman FPCCI’s Standing Committee on Environment and Mr. A. Haseeb Khan, President Brookes Pharmaceutical, former CO-EDITOR: Chairman Korangi Association of Trade & Industry, a popular social Mr. Siraj Uddin figure and philanthropist and an important lady of our country devotedly working for spread of knowledge through publication of quality books and in recognition thereof duly awarded the internationally popular Order of the British Empire (OBE) Ms. Ameena Saiyid. 210, Panorama Centre, Fatima Jinnah Road, Karachi. My request to all members is to provide us their valuable feedback on Phone : (92-21) 5661421, 5660446 the contents and quality of this magazine of KCFR so that we may Fax : (92-21) 5680497 improve it to your expectations. E-mail : [email protected] Website : www.kcfreal.org N POINTING THE WAY TO INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING W E Karachi Council on S Foreign Relations, MESSAGE FROM Economic Affairs and Law Lt. Gen (Retd) Moinuddin Haider HI (M), Chairman, KARACHI COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, ECONOMIC AFFAIRS & LAW While expressing my sincerest thanks to the members of Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Economic Affairs and Law (KCFR) for electing me as Chairman, I would like to, at the very outset, say that the growing interdependence between the nations of the world is itself a product of the ever accelerating technological revolution. Certainly, our capacity to exchange people, ideas, products and services has expanded so rapidly that the human mind is somewhat handicapped to keep pace with it. The situation, therefore, calls for making concerted efforts independently and jointly for developing foreign relations on a pattern congenial to creation of peace, economic growth and prosperity for the global society as a whole but consistent with certain basic principles to conform to the changing environment. While foreign relations is the focal component of KCFR, my immediate expression on the other two equally important constituents are that the strength of a nation lies in an intelligently planned and well ordered economy and that good laws make it easier to do right and harder to do wrong. With the above in mind, it would be my cherished desire to serve the KCFR within its charter and come up to the expectations of the honorable members of KCFR in general and the civil society in particular. Let us join hands in building cordial foreign relations, economic growth and lawfully structured culture; which, in my humble opinion, are the three important components for solidarity and survival in the new millennium. 4 N POINTING THE WAY TO INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING W E Karachi Council on S Foreign Relations, Economic Affairs INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER ADDRESS TO KCFR and Law The Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Mr. Satyabrata Pal, on a special invitation of KCFR visited Karachi for two days. He met members of the KCFR, members of consular corps, city elites and media at a dinner hosted in his honour on August 05, 2007. On the next day, the Indian High Commissioner delivered a speech at a local high profile hotel on the burning topic of “Indo-Pak Peace Process : The New Realities”. Before inviting the Indian High Commissioner, Mr. Ahsan Mukhtar Zubairi, Secretary General & CEO of KCFR, in his welcome note observed that the India-Pakistan dialogues to resolve various issues have been dragging on for a long time and still no where near solution. These issues included the overhalf a century old Kashmir issue, the Baglihar Dam, issues of Sir Creek, Siachin, Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, opening of visa offices in Karachi & Mumbai etc. Mr. Zubairi also proposed that the SAARC establishment should now come out of the orbit of seminars, meetings and conferences to a more meaningful physical realities such as setting up SAARC IT University in Bangladesh, advanced Technical and Medical Universities in Pakistan, Universities on social sciences in Nepal and Sri Lanka so that people from SAARC member countries may avail such facilities. Indian High Commissioner H.E. Mr. Satyabrata Pal photographed with chairman and office bearers of KCFR and other dignitories Lt. Gen. (R) Moinuddin Haider, in his presidential address said that following the post 9/11 Scenario, President Pervez Musharraf took quick strides to put the peace process with India on fast track for the benefit of the divided families in the two countries but this was not reciprocated with the same spirit from Indian side. Despite an understanding of promoting peace through co-operation and regional trade, the results were not as they ought to have been. He went on to say that 1.2 billion people in the region are living in pathetic conditions while the two governments are involved in arm race and the concern further elevated with the recent nuclear agreement between India and the USA. 23 N POINTING THE WAY TO INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING W E Karachi Council on S Foreign Relations, Addressing the large gathering on sensitive issue, the Indian High Commissioner H.E. Satyabrata Economic Affairs Pal pending replies to the various points raised in the earlier addresses, regretted that Pakistan and Law was the only country that had been objecting to India’s permanent membership in the UN Security Council. He went on to assure that the said nuclear agreement was for peaceful and economic reasons, in particular for power generation the demand for which is steadily growing and the fossil fuel for conventional power generation is neither economical not sufficient enough to cope with the demand. India’s projected demand for power in 2010 would be 800,000 MW and generating power using the coal reserves India is rich in, will involve environmental issues which are undesired. If India plans to utilize Thorium for generating clean power, it is wondered as to how it is a matter of concern for Pakistan. In response to Gen. (R) Moinuddin Haider’s observation of a slowdown on Kashmir issue, the Indian High Commissioner said that the simpler issues like Sir Creek and Baglihar dam should be resolved first to confirm India’s good intentions for peace - building. The issues having built- in difficulties, it would take some time for resolution. In conclusion, the India High Commissioner assured that India had no intention to exploit any internal disturbance in Pakistan nor to derive mileage from events like Lal Masjid, Taliban insurgencies in tribal areas or Balochistan. He said that a stable Pakistan is in India’s interest. The people of both the countries deserve to be taken care of ensuring a peaceful environment for socioeconomic growth and prosperity. On certain other points raised by Gen. Moinuddin Haider and Mr. Ahsan Mukthar Zubairi, the Indian High Commissioner chose to remain silent. It was a pleasant inter-active session of KCFR which was enjoyed by the members and others. Among those who interacted with H.E. Satyabrata Pal included senator Nisar Memon, Dr. Khalida Ghaus and Mr. Ikram Sehgal. Prof. Kishore Mahbubani Dean Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Singapore who delivered a lecture on Practice of Public Policy Photographed with office bearers and member of KCFR 24 N POINTING THE WAY TO INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING W E Karachi Council on S Foreign Relations, Economic Affairs NEW EXECUTIVE BODY OF KCFR and Law Under the re-structured setup of the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Economic Affairs & Law, a new executive committee of KCFR was elected at the 3rd annual general body meeting of the Council held on June 09, 2007. The new body consists of the following. 1. Lt. Gen. (R) Moinuddin Haider HI(M) Chairman Former Governor Sindh 2.

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