Debate: GCU students back CM’s aid stance

Shahbaz presides over debate where motion for rejecting foreign aid wins.

LAHORE:

Students of Government College University passed a resolution calling for Pakistan to stop accepting foreign aid and “break the begging bowl” after a lively debate presided over by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, a former Ravian, on Tuesday.

BSc student Zeenia Mansoor opened the debate on ‘Economic sovereignty and self-reliance’ with a speech arguing that Pakistan had vast mineral, agriculture, livestock, dairy and human resources that, if tapped, could preclude the need for foreign aid.

Kamran Hussain Hashmi, arguing against the motion, said that Pakistan’s sovereignty  economic and political  could only be protected through accountability so that foreign loans could be used for development and paid back on time.

Saadul Hassan argued that the country’s rulers had betrayed Pakistan for the sake of power and vanity. He said that every Pakistani baby was born into a debt of Rs30,000 and so the country must reject any more aid.

Noorus Saba said that there was no harm in Pakistan receiving help from other countries, but the aid needed to be used for its intended purpose. She said the mechanism of accountability should be strengthened so that “looters and plunderers” could be brought to justice.

Speaking on the occasion, GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Ikramul Haq said that all of Pakistan’s great socio-political movements had been started or led by Ravians. “Likewise, the movement for economic self-reliance has been ignited by an old Ravain from the GCU podium,” he said, referring to the chief minister.

The debate was interspersed with national songs performed by the Nazir Ahmed Music Society. Members of the Punjab cabinet and Punjab Assembly also attended the event.



Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2011.