Conferences

Academic conferences are of great importance. They provide a platform to researchers and academicians to share their work and are the source of disseminating information. Conferences lead to sharing of experiences of different people from different spheres which trigger new ideas and thoughts for future research. In 2017, School of Economics organized its first ever international conference. The second conference was organized in 2018 and now we have a plan to organize conferences on an annual basis.

School of Economics, Quaid-i- Azam University and Department of Economics, University of Peshawar jointly organized a Three days international conference on “MARGINALIZATION AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF MARKET ECONOMY”. The participants of 4 foreign universities and 29 national institutes participated in the conference. Overall seven key note speeches were delivered and 31 papers were presented. In the context of market exclusion most of the papers focused on poverty, inequality and women empowerment.
The key outcomes of the conference are that the concentration of wealth is one of the undesirable and unavoidable outcomes of market economy and it fails to cater the needs of excluded and marginalized people in the society. Rather, market multiply exclusion over the time such as the number of slums. Hence, we need to strengthen exchange of wealth that take place out of the market at micro level. For this we need to decrease transaction and information cost of those who are willing to donate to deserving amongst us. In this regard, institutionalization of charitable donation in the form of AWAQAF should be promoted. Likewise, the sentiments of feeding the poor and helping the destitute should be appreciated. In addition, the family system and ties within the family system should be strengthened. The values that make markets competitive such as revealing the true information and avoiding cheating should be promoted. The other concerning preferences and promotion of norms and ethics should also be encouraged. All those norms that make market competitive have roots in the final version of all religions, that is Islam, should be promoted.The conference was organized in collaboration with Higher Education Commission and Women University Mardan. It is worth mentioning that this was first International conference of SOE in its fifty years history.

School of Economis, Quaid-i-Azam University organized second International Conference on August 16, 2018. It was a one day conference titled “EMERGING ISSUES IN THE ECONOMY OF PAKISTAN: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES”. Thirty six resource persons / presenters from eighteen different institutions including Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, International Islamic University, Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, Royal Holloway University of London, National University of Modern Languages, University of Lahore, University of Central Punjab Foreman Christian College (A Charter University), University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Federal Urdu University of Science and Technology, F.G. Post Graduate College for Girls, Foundation University, University of Peshawar, Riphah International University, Ministry of Planning, Development & Reforms, Sustainable Development and Policy Institute and United Nations Development Program participated in the conference. Fourteen research papers, one panel discussion and three key note speeches were delivered. The conference started with the recitation of Holy Quran. Dean Faculty of Social Sciences (acting) Dr. Muhammad Ayub gave the welcome note and Director School of Economics, Dr. Muhammad Idrees emphasized on the objectives and layout of the conference. The first key note speech was delivered by Mr. Sakib Sherani, a renowned economist, followed by a lecture of Professor Dr. Muhammad Aslam, Chairman University of Lahore. Fourteen research papers were presented in second and third session. In last session a panel discussion was conducted on the sustainability of Economic Growth. The panel discussion was chaired by Mr. Zafar Ul Hassan, ( M/O Planning Development & Reforms). Mr. Shakeel Ahmad (UNDP) was the lead panelist. The other participants were Dr. Wasim Shahid (QAU/UOP), Dr. Tariq Majeed (QAU) and Dr. Sajjid Amin (SDPI). The conference was concluded with the key note address of Professor Dr. Eatzaz Ahmad (QAU).