Education is one of the most crucial component in our life as its able to create awareness that can change people, communities and entire nations. Nelson Mandela said it best in a speech commemorating the launch of Mindset Network at South Africa on July 16, 2003, “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”.
Hence, University Al Azhar of Indonesia (UAI) collaborated with The Embassy of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Jakarta organized Call for Essay themed “My View on the Kashmir Problem and How The World Should Resolve it” from June 28th – August 10th. The Call for Essay event concluded with an International Webinar titled “Political Challenges to Economic Growth and Development in South Asia”.
The event was attended by Vice Rectors, Deans and related Head of Study Program as well as students from other universities in Jakarta. In order for participants to wholly grasp the contentious issues on South Asia, UAI and The Embassy of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Jakarta invited H.E. Mr. Sajjad Haider Khan, Charge’D Affaires of the Embassy of Pakistan, Jakarta as the keynote speaker.
Mr. Mufti Hamka, MBA., Economic Observer from Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ms. Andhika Pratiwi, M. Hum, Lecturer of University Al Azhar of Indonesia, Mr. Yasmi Adriansyah, Ph. D, Political Expert from UAI and Shaista Safi, Lobbyist of Youth Forum for Kashmir as speakers.
This line up was brought due to each of the speakers offered different perspectives on scrutinizing the political challenges in South Asia, H.E. Mr. Sajjad Haider Khan as the keynote speaker spoke on the bitter cost of India-Pakistan rivalry on the region economy as its costing South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) $35 billion worth of annual trade.
Furthermore, he conveyed that Pakistan desired normalization with India and continued on the overview of South Asia political challenges such as Kashmir dispute, border issues between India and Nepal, humanitarian crisis in Kashmir, persistent turmoil in Afghanistan and etc.
H.E. Mr. Sajjad Haider Khan provided Pakistan Government approach on the political challenges on the issue, Mr. Mufti Hamka, offered economic point of view of this matter as he talked about China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Ms. Andhika Pratiwi, offered an academics outlook as she uttered on postcolonial problems that still persist in South Asia nowadays.
Mr. Yasmi Adriansyah gave his political expert insight as he assessed two alternative solutions on India-Pakistan approach over Kashmir dispute. Last but not least, Ms. Shaista Safi offered lobbyist perspective as she stated India oppresion to Kashmiris, how India trampled Kashmiris basic human rights and appealed for justice and freedom in Kashmir.
The international webinar come to an end after QnA session, as the webinar ended, all the speakers insights and elaborations palpably will raise the participants awareness on the South Asia political challenges notably the intractable Kashmir issue, thus small step towards the betterment of Kashmiris and South Asia economic growth and development are contrived
-Bagus Ramadhan-