SU moot deliberates on contemporary issues

Hyderabad:Speakers on the second day of 3-day University of Sindh Model United Nations (USMUN) conference have advocated discreet thought, word and deed as an answer to all socio-political ills plaguing the world in the current times

This they said in the moot that continued on the second consecutive day as varsity students from various higher education institutions including universities from across Pakistan floated well-thought-out deliberations on major global issues in the simulation format; representing diverse countries of the world as respective mock state envoys.

The exclusive feature of this second day drill of the moot was the special student-focused talk by Air Marshall (R) Riazuddin Shaikh who also, at one time, remained Chairman, Youth Development Program of Government of Sindh. Mr. Shaikh was also the Chief Guest on the occasion; whereas the ceremony was presided over by VC-SU Prof. Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat.

Vice Chancellor Dr. Burfat, in his presidential remarks accentuated the importance of restraint in attitude and behaviour as an antidote against the prospects of eruption of international, tacit as well as armed conflicts, and also for resolving the ongoing deadly disputes across width and breadth of the world.

Drawing upon analogy involving bull-fight phenomenon, Dr. Burfat drove a point home and that too strongly enough as to how a bull’s own blind fury prompted by apparently a far-less-mighty human rival through a red rag would bring upon bull his doom, defeat and death.

Exactly same is the case with human race. The individuals and nations among us that succumb to aggression, anger and belligerent behaviour bring upon themselves rage, ruin and ravage. This also is the motto of the moot in progress; that is to highlight for you the paramount significance of reserve, patience and tolerance”, the vice chancellor elucidated.

Dr. Burfat added that the USMUN experience was also meant to cultivate in student participants the priceless personal and professional virtues like self-confidence, overcoming fear of public speaking, art of arguing without hurting interlocutor esteem, ability to listen objectively and disinterestedly, accrue the power to amplify the worth of an argument by yet keeping the pitch of once voice subdued, to agree to disagree and disagree to agree but doing both in a pleasant, polite and palatable manner.

Dr. Burfat made a special point of extending his heart-felt gratitude to Air Marshall (R) Riazuddin Shaikh for having driven all the way down from Karachi to grace the USMUN event as featured speaker and the day’s chief guest.

SU vice chancellor also urged upon conference participants to learn to understand and analyse issues that confronted the world they lived in, take up the responsibility to chip in their bit to resolve them, inculcate in them the knack of negotiations and develop the skills necessary to take independent, difficult yet inevitable decisions in life.

I impress upon you never to use hard words that may injure peoples’ sentiments, for hurtful words resemble nails driven in the wood-planks; one may take the nails away and out after a given frame of time but the nail-marks are there to stay indelible forever. I advise you also to respect your elders, treat equals with esteem, show affection to those younger to you, value your benefactors and be grateful for the blessings you have”, the vice chancellor remarked.

Event Chief Guest Air Marshall (R) Riazuddin Shaikh said that he was extremely glad to see students from all over Pakistan and from SU engaged in as meaningful, productive and academically insightful exercise as simulation of multiple UN committees, councils and high-powered bodies. This, he said, instilled in students the capacity to lead from the front, to get to know the affairs of the world, to learn to listen, argue, rebut, declaim and reason.

Shaikh, after registering his erudite input, adroitly converted the session into interactive mode; observing “Dialogue was always superior to monologue”; as he took questions from the audience and went on answering them at length.

The question-answer session addressed vitally important aspects like entrepreneurship, marketing, employment, youth activism, life skills, technology, education, motivation, role of youth in society, emotional intelligence, time management, skill development, national responsibilities and a better Pakistan.

Earlier, Director STAGS Dr. Sumera Umrani presented welcome note. SU media office Incharge and Assistant Professor Institute of English Dr. Ghulam Ali Buriro moderated the proceedings of the ceremony.