A national level seminar was held inviting and engaging Pakistan Foreign Office, government officials, political leaders, law experts, religious scholars, human rights organizations, NGOs, diplomatic missions in Pakistan and a big number of media representatives participated in the Seminar. The seminar was focused on the below main aspects:
- The Problem of LAWS
- Efforts and Work of the Campaign and Solution to the Problem
- Current Status of the Discussions and Negotiations inside and outside the UN
- The Role of Pakistan
- Adopting and Promoting a Regional Approach
- Way Forward
SPEAKERS:
The Seminar was moderated by Mr. Shaukat Ali Muqaddam Ambassador Rotary Club, Islamabad. Below is a brief detail about the main speakers.
Glimpses from Seminar
Raza Shah Khan
Briefed about “The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots”
Mr. Raza Shah Khan is the Chief Executive of Sustainable Peace and Development Organization. He has led and managed a variety of humanitarian, peacebuilding, arms control, research and development projects. During his professional carrier, he has
contributed to the negotiations and processes of the global arms trade treaty, the conventions on cluster munitions, and various regional and global peace initiatives. He is also the spokesperson for the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots in Pakistan. Mr. Raza hold a Masters degree in Peacebuilding from Conventry University (UK) and Post Graduate Diploma in Human Rights Law from University of Peshawar in collaboration with University of Oslo. He was also awarded the UK government Chevening Fellowship at the University of Wolverhampton where his fellowship was focused on government relations with NGOs and civil society.
Ahmer Bilal Soofi
Discussed about the “Legal Aspects and Implications of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems”
Founding President of the Research Society of International Law and the Senior Partner of the well-reputed law firm ABS&Co with offices in Lahore and Islamabad. He served as the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights, in the caretaker government in 2013. He has appeared before the High Courts and the Supreme Court of Pakistan in over 1,000 cases. He is also a life-long member of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan. He was elected as a member of the Advisory Committee to the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Vice-President of its Asia-Pacific group for three years in 2011. Ahmer Bilal Soofi holds an LLM in international law from the University of Cambridge.
The speakers were interviewed by different media outlets at the end of the seminar.
Gulshan Rafiq
Shared her expert views on “Implications of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS): Options of Pakistan.
Ms. Gulshan Rafiq is a Research Officer at Islamabad Policy Research Institute. She holds an M.Sc and M.Phil degree in Defence and Strategic Studies. Her research areas cover contemporary international affairs, non-traditional security threats and security strategy for Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs). She undertakes research on various subjects of interest and regularly contributes in national/international dailies and renowned academic journals.
A question and answer session was held after the speakers shed light on “Campaign to Stop Killer Robots” through their expertise. Guests from different walks of life asked questions that came into their mind to know the campaign more.
The speakers were interviewed by different media outlets at the end of the seminar.