The four-day debating competition, organised by the University College Association of Debaters (UCAD), is the biggest debating competition in Pakistan.
Schools, colleges and universities from all over Pakistan are participating in the tournament during which social as well as economic, sports, cultural, religious, educational and political issues will be debated. Lahore Grammar School, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute, National University of Science and Technology, Beaconhouse School System, Rawalpindi Medical College, Bahria, Kinnaird College, Government College University and Lahore University of management Sciences are among the teams competing.
Fatima Bukhari, the UCAD president, said “This competition aims at encouraging students to identify problems and seek solutions by questioning things.” On Friday, the English debaters discussed ‘Privacy on the internet’. There were two rounds of Urdu debates held during which religion being a hurdle in success and privitisation of PCB were discussed.
Based on the Parliamentary style of debates, four 2-member teams are given 15 minutes as prep time after they are assigned a topic. The four teams are categorised as Opening Government, Opening Opposition, Closing Government and Closing Opposition. The first two speak in favour of the motion while the last two oppose it. Every team member has seven minutes to argue their stance on an issue. A SISA debater, Usman Mehmood, said, “I have never been in a 2-on-2 format before. It is tougher and more exciting.” Umar Khan, the chief adjudicator, said “This is one of the most prestigious parliamentary debating competitions in Pakistan.
The best speakers participate every year, which means tough competition and great debates.”
The competition’s final will be held on January 31 (Monday).
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2011.
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