Pakistan faces deeply ingrained governance challenges that require moving beyond suggestions to concrete and sustained actions. The knowing-doing gap necessitates a proactive stance where solutions are implemented in the form of tangible actions to address the challenges faced by the nation.
The country urgently needs to address major concerns such as poor governance, internal strife, corruption, a flawed education system, moral turpitude, environmental challenges, and healthcare difficulties.
This requires consistency in government policies, addressing disparities, utilizing youth as a resource, building narrative and national emotions, and pushing constructive change through research.
This was observed by prominent intellectuals, academics, technocrats, and religious scholars at the annual meeting of the National Academic Council of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). The yearly gathering aims to garner intellectual input from a cross-section of veteranpractitioners for IPS’ research activities and realistic ideas regarding national issues.
Chaired by IPS’ Chairman Khalid Rahman, the meeting was addressed by Prof. DrAnis Ahmed, Vice Chancellor, Riphah International University; Vice Admiral (r) Iftikhar Ahmed Rao, special assistant to the PM on maritime affairs, Prof. Dr. QiblaAyaz, chairman, Islamic Ideology Council of Pakistan; Dr. Syed Mohammad Anwer, Justice, Federal Shariat Court, Razia Sultana, member, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service
Commission; Ambassador (r)a Syed AbrarHussain, vice chairman IPS; Dr. Anwar-ul-HasanGilani, Chairman, Pakistan Council for Science and Technology; Syed Abu Ahmad Akif, former federal cabinet secretary; Mohammad Bashir Jan Mohammad, chairman, Westbury Group of Companies, Karachi; Mirza Hamid Hasan, former federal secretary, water and power; Dr. Syed TahirHijazi, former vice-chancellor, Muslim Youth University; Saima Hamid, vice chancellor, Fatima Jinnah University, Rawalpindi; Syed
IrfanHyder, vice chancellor, Ziauddin University, Karachi.; Dr. Syed JunaidZaidi, former rector COMSATS; Dr. MasoodMehmood Khan, Curtin University, Australia; Dr. ShahidaWizarat, dean, College of Economics and Social Development, IoBM, Karachi; Prof JaleelAali, former HoD Urdu, F.G. Sir Syed College; Dr. Naveed Butt, senior physician, Federal Government Services Hospital; Dr. Noreen Sahar, associate professor and chairperson, Department of Anthropology, IIUI; whereas Prof. Dr. Fakhr-ul-Islam, director research and academic outreach at IPS moderated the session.
