On behalf of the United Nations System in Pakistan, UNIC organised jointly with
the University of the Punjab, Lahore, a panel discussion on the United Nations
Secretary-General's report, "In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security,
and Human Rights for All" on 8 September 2005. The discussion was held
at the Biochemistry Auditorium of the University. This was the last of a series
of campaigns UNIC has been undertaking throughout the country. The previous
one was held in Peshawar on 31 August.
The opening address was delivered by the Vice Chancellor of the University, followed by a presentation by Mr Tetsuo Maximilien Ohno, Director of the UN Information Center who represented the UN System in Pakistan at the request of the Resident Coordinator, a.i. The session was conducted by Mr Nadeem Umer, Assistant Professor of the National College of Art of Lahore jointly with Ms Ishrat Rizvi, UN Information Coordinator.
The panelists included Senator Khalid Ranjha, former Law Minister, Mr Shamshad A Khan, former Foreign Secretary, Dr Imtiaz Bokhari, Dean Social Science of FLA College Lahore, Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami, Senior Vice President of the All Pakistan Newspaper Society, and Dr Nasir Hussain, Assistant Professor of the Department of Social Science of Qaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. The Governor of Punjab was the chief guest.
The discussion was attended by approximately 200 people, most of whom were post-graduate students of Punjab University and its faculty members. There were also media and NGO representatives and Punjab government officials. They covered a wide aspect of the report, but the main focus was the reform of the Security Council. At the end of the session, the Governor summarised the session and answered questions raised by the audience.
The event received extensive media coverage. All national dailies and all major TV stations reported it on the same day.
After the session, the University requested UNIC to organise a series of briefing
sessions to students on topics related to the United Nations.