KARACHI-UNS : SIUT’s Centre of Biomedical Ethics and Culture (CBEC) inaugurated its two-day international conference titled “The Warp and Woof of Human Morality.” This event marks the 20th anniversary of the Centre and features national and international speakers discussing human morality and ethics through talks meant to appeal to public and professionals alike.
The conference opened with Professor Farhat Moazam, Founding Chairperson of CBEC, acknowledging the role of Professor Adib Rizvi in the growth of the Centre. She then presented the national and regional impact of the Centre’s educational programs and highlighted some of the challenges Pakistan still faces in ethical medical practice in Pakistan. Professor Anwar Naqvi from SIUT spoke about CBEC’s achievements in Pakistan and in the region over the past twenty years. Following this, Professor Aamir Jafarey presented the institution’s milestones over the past two decades making use of archival media.
The keynote address, titled “Pluriversality in Bioethics,” was delivered online by Dr. Caesar Atuire, a distinguished scholar in Bioethics and Global Health from Ghana, and President of the International Association of Bioethics (IAB). Dr. Atuire critiqued the colonial mindset within bioethical traditions and highlighted the importance of local context and values in shaping human morality. This was followed by three presentations by CBEC’s alumni, Dr. Amjad Mahboob (KPK), Dr. Nida Wahid Bashir (Sindh) and Dr. Natasha Anwar (Punjab). Each described the impact that their ethics education in the Centre has had on their personal and professional lives.
The afternoon sessions, conducted in Urdu, focused on “Women in Pakistan.” Dr. Arfana Mallah, from University of Jamshoro presented the challenges faced by women in Sindh, highlighting the intersection of feudalism and fundamentalism. Dr. Fatima Hasan, an author, offered her exploration of women’s voices in literature within the South Asian subcontinent. The first day concluded with a play highlighting environmental issues performed by schoolchildren.
The talks on the second day will include Dr. Paul Lombardo, a historian and bioethicist from the USA, on the Muslim philosopher and physician, Ibn-e-Sina. Dr. Syed Noman-ul-Haq of IBA will discuss the story of Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān by Muslim philosopher, Ibn-Tufayl. Dr. Nauman Faizi from School of Social Sciences and Humanities, LUMS will speak about different approaches to living an ethical life.
The conference will conclude with an Urdu literary event discussing the deep connection between Urdu literature and human values. The panel will include renowned poets, Iftikhar Arif sahib, Zehra Nigah sahiba, Noor-ul-Huda Shah sahiba, and will be moderated by Harris Khalique sahib, well-known writer and poet.
