Public Forum Series

It is observed that normally there is a disconnect between Academia and the public at large in general, and in Pakistan, in particular. This may be due to the fact that there are few opportunities and spaces available for dialogue and debate between the academia and the wider community on issues of mutual interest. To address this gap, the Public Forum series is being started at Ziauddin University to provide a platform for meeting of minds, and provide an opportunity to the youth of today, in particular, to engage with the civil society in discussion on public issues.

The Public Forum, an initiative of the recently established Faculty of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at the Ziauddin University, will be held on quarterly basis and will be open to both students from all educational institutions as well as members of the public at large.  It will be offered free of charge to allow for maximum participation of people from all walks of life.

The first Public Forum will be held as follows:

Topic: Gender Justice: Building Bridges between Academia and Activists

Date/Time: 17 January, 2019 2.30.00-5.30 p.m

Venue: Ziauddin University Auditorium, Clifton Campus, Karachi.

Speakers:

  1. Dr Uzma Rashid, Assistant Professor, United Nation’s Peace University, Costa Rica
  2. Dr Dilshad Ashraf, Associate Professor, AKU-IED, Karachi, Pakistan
  3. Ms Attitya Dawood, Poet, Writer, Activist, Karachi, Pakistan

The second Public Forum will be held as follows:  

Topic: Gender Justice: Public Spaces, Industry and Law

Day / Date:Wednesday 18thApril 2019

Time:2 pm – 4 pm

Venue:Ziauddin University Auditorium, Clifton Campus, Karachi

Invited Speakers:

Barrister Ali Tahir, Director, Centre for Law and Access to Justice at Ziauddin University.

Speaker’s Bio:

Ali Tahir

Ali Tahir is currently a partner at GN Qureshi and Tahir Law Associates and the Director of the Centre for Law and Access to Justice at Ziauddin University. He was invited to speak at the Human Rights Summit, 2018, at the United Nations in New York, USA. He has also written a book on the American Constitution titled ‘The Key to the American Constitution’. He has been a lecturer at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University of Law, Karachi.

Girls at Dhabas

Girls at Dhabas is a feminist collective that’s main aim is to talk about pleasure without a purpose. Since its inception in 2015, the collective has raised some key questions around public spaces, who has access to them and what does it mean to have a relationship with the city. Through dialogues, activities and workshops, the collective continues to push the boundaries of what is respectable and what is control.

Hafsa Shamsie

Hafsa Shamsie is a finance professional with over 25 years of rich local and international work experience having worked with companies like Dawood Lawrencepur Ltd, Engro Corporation, Shell Australia, Shell Pakistan and ICI Pakistan. Hafsa Shamsie is an associate member of Certified Practicing Accountants of Australia, holds a Masters in Professional Accounting from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia and an MBA from IBA, Karachi. On a personal front she is married with two children. Hafsa enjoys reading, travelling and playing tennis.