The Two-Finger Test has haunted rape victims for years in Pakistan. The invasive virginity tests practice has been in force in the South Asian region since the colonial era and has been documented in at least 20 countries worldwide, according to the UN and WHO.
Following two petitions filed in Lahore in March and June 2020 by a group of women's rights activists, academics, journalists, advocates and a member of the National Assembly, seeking to ban such tests for rape survivors, the Lahore High Court recently passed a landmark decision to outlaw so-called “virginity tests" in rape examinations. Truly unscientific, intrusive, and demeaning, the abolishment of this practice brings in a new era for women’s rights in the country.
Hosted in conjunction with the Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL) and the Saida Waheed Gender Initiative (SWGI), the session was moderated by Ms. Syeda Zehra Zaidi, Adjunct Faculty, SAHSOL. The team that has been instrumental in this landmark case is joining the discussion as panelists, including Dr. Sadaf Aziz, Ms. Sahar Bandial, Ms. Maria Farooq, Mr. Sameer Khosa and Mr. Hammad Saeed.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: Helping the Community Stay Connected and Informed
A majority of the world is confined to their homes as a result of the rapid spread of the Coronavirus. Classes at ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ have also been moved online with majority of the staff and faculty working from home. However, just as ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ has not let the current situation stop the students learning, it has also found a new way of keeping important conversations going.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live, launched on March 29, 2020, is a platform that gives you the opportunity to tune in and connect with Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ and other eminent panelists as they discuss important topics. Discussions during these live sessions, hosted on the ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ official Facebook page and moderated by Adeel Hashmi, cover topics from how to maintain good health, how to continue learning in the current environment and the changing role of technology to how to stay positive and the importance of being generous and empathetic to the people around us.
Explore our past sessions, and be sure to join us for the next session and become part of critical conversations during these unprecedented times.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 60: Abolishing Archaic Processes: Rape Investigations in Pakistan
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 59: Manto ki Zabaan Urdu
January 18th marked Saadat Hasan Manto’s 108th death anniversary. Acknowledged as one of the finest 20th century Urdu writers, he wrote on topics typically considered taboo for his time. Over his lifetime, he produced 22 short story collections, a novel, five series of radio plays, three essay collections, and two personal sketch collections.
Manto was known to write about the tough truths of society about which nobody dared to speak. To date, writers and critics hold his short stories in high esteem.
The session was moderated by Adeel Hashmi. Our distinguished panelists included Dr. Arfa Sayeda Zehra and Dr. Asghar Nadeem Syed.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 58: Building Faculty/Staff-Student Pedagogical Partnerships
Dr. Alison Cook-Sather's talk contextualises the importance of partnerships between students and faculty/staff and share how the partnership programme she has directed has evolved over time. Drawing on 14 years of research findings, Dr. Cook-Sather outlines individual benefits of partnership work to faculty and students, as well as institutional benefits. She also invited reflections on how pedagogical partnerships between students and faculty/staff position ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ to pursue its stated goals: advocate, imagine, reform, lead, and innovate.
Watch the fifty-eighth session of ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: The Individual and Institutional Benefits of Building Faculty/Staff-Student Pedagogical Partnerships. Our distinguished guest was Dr. Alison Cook-Sather, Mary Katharine Woodworth Professor of Education at Bryn Mawr College, and Director Teaching and Learning Institute at Bryn Mawr and Haverford College.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 57: Pakistan-US Ties Under Biden: The View from Washington
Through his decades-long political career, President-elect Biden has crafted Pakistan-focused legislation, made multiple visits to the South Asian nation, cultivated deep ties with civilian and military leaders, and experienced directly the best and worst periods of the relationship’s recent history. His presidency is definitely an inflection point for US-Pakistan ties. What does the future hold? What degree of continuity can we expect from Trump-era policy? How will the Kashmir issue be impacted during this time? What are the potential challenges or opportunities to the economies and national security of Pakistan and the US? What kind of cooperation is possible in countering terrorism? How will Pakistan balance the US relationship with Afghanistan, China, Saudi Arabia and Iran? What major cooperation will be possible in tension-free spaces like education, IT, and clean energy? At this week’s session, we’ll get the answers to these and other questions from experts who have the unique vantage point of being based in Washington, and who are privy to policy conversations about Pakistan right in the centre of US power.
To learn more, watch the fifty-seventh session of ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: Pakistan-US Ties Under Biden: The View from Washington. The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Dr. Cameron Munter, Dr. Tricia Bacon and Mr. Michael Kugelman.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 56: Fintech - The Emerging Disruptor in Pakistan
Pakistan is an emerging market for fintech. Increasing facilitation for digital payments, widespread internet and smartphone penetration, consumer preferences for social media and booming online commerce spells that fintech is transforming the way we operate. There are sound regulations in place that streamline this industry. What does the future hold? How are digital financial services changing the customer experience? What regulations are needed to secure our data as more users join the bandwagon? What kind of doors do financial technologies open for Pakistan in terms of the economy, the job market, retail etc. compared to other markets? How is fintech innovating to provide relief and enable recovery in a post-COVID world?
Watch the fifty-sixth session of ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: Fintech - The Emerging Disruptor in Pakistan. The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Mr. Shahzad Rasheed, Mr. Ali Imran Khan, and Dr. Ussama Yaqub.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 55: Blockchain, Crypto, and the Future of Internet
Just a few years ago, cryptocurrency shook up the world. Terms like blockchain and Bitcoin became part of our vocabulary, and financial institutions and governments had to change the way they think about currency. In today’s world, Blockchain is considered the key to unlock the potential of technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). What role can it play in innovation? What does this mean for Pakistan and its economy? What kind of infrastructure is required to boost the digital economy in Pakistan and what are the arguments for and against legalisation of crypto around the world.
Watch the fifty-fifth session of ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: Blockchain, Crypto, and the Future of Internet. The distinguished panelists for the discussion include Dr. Muneeb Ali, Mr. Faisal Aftab, Dr. Basit Shafiq and Dr. Naveed Ul Hassan.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 54: COVID, Classes and Campus - Updates
This fall, ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ has taken significant steps to reopen the University, with many students back on campus. Unfortunately, a second wave of COVID-19 infections resulted in the government announcing a complete shutdown of all educational institutions from November 26, 2020 to January 10, 2021.
Despite this sudden announcement, ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ is committed to continue its efforts to welcome the entire community back to campus in the Spring. With the new government directives though, what does this mean in terms of teaching modalities (in-class, online and hybrid)? How many students will be accommodated in hostels? What further measures will need to be taken to keep the community safe? What will we do if the government directives are extended?
Join us for the fifty-fourth session of ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: COVID, Classes and Campus - Updates. Moderated by Adeel Hashmi, the distinguished panelists for the discussion included Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Dr. Farhat Haq, Dr. Samia Altaf, Dr. Adnan Khan, Abdullah Haroon (BSc 2021), Maira Asaad (BA 2021), and Huzaifa Rauf (PhD 2022).
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 53: What Does a Biden Presidency Mean for Pakistan?
Presidential elections in the United States (US) not only affect American citizens, but also have a significant impact on global geopolitics. Every US president propagates a distinct doctrine, which is then often followed by a shift in the foreign policy of other countries, including Pakistan. For instance, relations between US and Pakistan shifted quite drastically during Donald Trump’s tenure, owed to his unilateral policies. President-elect Joe Biden, on the other hand, places great importance on global cooperation and diplomacy. The election of Biden as President can thus result in a substantial change in relations between the US and Pakistan. What will this change look like? What prospects and challenges do Biden’s leadership present? How will Biden’s policies influence Pakistan? What kind of US engagement can we expect over the next four years? Will there be some degree of continuity in Trump's policies under a Biden presidency?
Watch the fifty-third session of ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: What Does a Biden Presidency Mean for Pakistan? The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani, Ms. Tehmina Janjua, Mr. Michael Kugelman, and Mr. Mosharraf Zaidi.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 52: Insights on the Present and Future of the Local Gaming Industry: How to Enter and Succeed
Today, gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry. The global video game market size was valued at USD 151.06 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 12.9% from 2020 to 2027. Technological proliferation and innovation in both hardware and software are expected to be the key factors driving the growth. Add to this the emergence of new markets and a substantial increase in audience every year, and you have a rapidly progressing industry at hand. What does the future hold? How is Pakistan’s gaming landscape evolving? What opportunities and challenges exist for entrepreneurship in the gaming industry?
Watch the fifty-second session of ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: Insights on the Present and Future of the Local Gaming Industry: How to Enter and Succeed. The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Mr. Faraz Ahmed - CEO, Turbo Labz, Mr. Abbas Saleem Khan - CEO, Optera Digital and Mr. Murad Akhter - CEO, Tintash.
³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live Session 51: The Digitalisation of Pakistani Economy: Role of Local Software Industry
In the current age, digitalisation can be easily compared to industrialisation in what would be its eventual impact on economic and social institutions. In the past, most developed countries have invested a lot of effort and finances into digitalisation that is now paying huge dividends. The current pandemic has in fact accelerated the progress and tech start-ups represent a new wave of entrepreneurship, which, if appropriately harnessed, can improve the overall outreach of the services in Pakistan’s software industry. The growth has been exponential, and the biggest challenge now is how the local software industry can work with the government to improve the overall digitalisation process and streamline the country’s economy.
Watch the fifty-first session of ³Ô¹ÏÍ·Ìõ Live: The Digitalisation of Pakistani Economy: Role of Local Software Industry. The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Mr. Syed Ahmad - CEO, DPL (Pvt) Ltd and Chair (IT Sub-taskforce), Prime Minister’s Taskforce on IT & Telecom and Ms. Ammara Masood - CEO & President, NdcTech.
