Parliamentary speaking: Nation should be taken into confidence on talks with Taliban, says Aitzaz
KGS beats Aitchison in final of under-19 debating competition.
Karachi Grammar School logo. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
“The government will have to take the nation into confidence if it wants to hold peace talks with the Taliban,” Aitzaz Ahsan, the chief guest at the 23rd All Pakistan Under 19 Parliamentary Debating Competition, said at the closing ceremony at Aitcheson College on Sunday.
Ahsan said if the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf wanted to block NATO supply routes, they would have to seek approval from the federal government. He said the government would have to take the nation into confidence if it wanted to hold peace talks with the Taliban. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif needed to rise above party politics and work for the welfare of the country. “In view of looming security threats, is vital for the government to make proper security arrangements during Muharram,” he said.
The 23rd All Pakistan Under 19 Parliamentary Debating Competition concluded at the Aitchison College on Sunday.
The event was organised by the Debating Society of Pakistan.
Students of the Karachi Grammar School emerged victorious, beating Aitchison College’s team in the final round. The teams had been asked to deliberate on the topic of forming a coalition government with the Taliban in exchange for laying down their weapons. The KGS team spoke in favour of the motion while the Aitchison team, the opposed it.
As many as 48 teams from schools in Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala participated in the competition. Teams from Karachi Grammar School, Nixor College, Karachi; The Lyceum School, Karachi; Angels International College, Faisalabad; Beaconhouse School Margalla, Islamabad; Headstart School, Islamabad; and Beaconhouse School, Gujranwala, were prominent.
There were four preliminary rounds and 16 teams were shortlisted. Those teams then battled it out in the quarter final and semi final rounds. The teams from the Karachi Grammar School and the Aitchison College made it to the finals.
The teams were given subjects including the reinstatement of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and issues pertaining to chemical and conventional warfare to debate on.
Debating Society of Pakistan Public Relations Officer Maira Rana said the competition had gained tremendous popularity among schools over the years.
“We now have a greater number of participants from outside Lahore,” she said, “Very few teams used to participate initially, but we hosted 48 teams this year.”
Two teams were given a topic to deliberate on. The proposition favoured the motion, while the opposition argued against it. Each team comprised three speakers and spoke for eight minutes, with four additional minutes to sum up.
Rana said the competition provided students a good platform to practice their skills before entering international debates competitions. Students who had previously debated on this platform had represented the country at similar competitions in several countries including Ireland, Brazil and Thailand.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th,2013.
“The government will have to take the nation into confidence if it wants to hold peace talks with the Taliban,” Aitzaz Ahsan, the chief guest at the 23rd All Pakistan Under 19 Parliamentary Debating Competition, said at the closing ceremony at Aitcheson College on Sunday.
Ahsan said if the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf wanted to block NATO supply routes, they would have to seek approval from the federal government. He said the government would have to take the nation into confidence if it wanted to hold peace talks with the Taliban. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif needed to rise above party politics and work for the welfare of the country. “In view of looming security threats, is vital for the government to make proper security arrangements during Muharram,” he said.
The 23rd All Pakistan Under 19 Parliamentary Debating Competition concluded at the Aitchison College on Sunday.
The event was organised by the Debating Society of Pakistan.
Students of the Karachi Grammar School emerged victorious, beating Aitchison College’s team in the final round. The teams had been asked to deliberate on the topic of forming a coalition government with the Taliban in exchange for laying down their weapons. The KGS team spoke in favour of the motion while the Aitchison team, the opposed it.
As many as 48 teams from schools in Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala participated in the competition. Teams from Karachi Grammar School, Nixor College, Karachi; The Lyceum School, Karachi; Angels International College, Faisalabad; Beaconhouse School Margalla, Islamabad; Headstart School, Islamabad; and Beaconhouse School, Gujranwala, were prominent.
There were four preliminary rounds and 16 teams were shortlisted. Those teams then battled it out in the quarter final and semi final rounds. The teams from the Karachi Grammar School and the Aitchison College made it to the finals.
The teams were given subjects including the reinstatement of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and issues pertaining to chemical and conventional warfare to debate on.
Debating Society of Pakistan Public Relations Officer Maira Rana said the competition had gained tremendous popularity among schools over the years.
“We now have a greater number of participants from outside Lahore,” she said, “Very few teams used to participate initially, but we hosted 48 teams this year.”
Two teams were given a topic to deliberate on. The proposition favoured the motion, while the opposition argued against it. Each team comprised three speakers and spoke for eight minutes, with four additional minutes to sum up.
Rana said the competition provided students a good platform to practice their skills before entering international debates competitions. Students who had previously debated on this platform had represented the country at similar competitions in several countries including Ireland, Brazil and Thailand.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th,2013.