News and Announcement

International conference on dispute resolution

On 21 October 2017, Center for International Investment and Commercial Arbitration (CIICA) and UMT School of Law and Policy (SLP), jointly held an international conference, titled “OBOR and CPEC: The Resolution of Commercial and Investment Disputes,” on the implications of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project for the resolution of commercial and investment disputes, and whether or not there are any efficient and effective alternative methods for resolution of such disputes in Pakistan.

The conference brought together lawyers from Pakistan, UK, and Singapore; representatives of Pakistani and Chinese business communities; and government officials. The conference provided a forum for discussing and analyzing the relevant issues involved in current and prospective disputes in connection with the substantial Chinese investment under the OBOR, in general, and CPEC, in particular.

PROGRAM

3:00 – 4:00 pm    
Coffee and Registration

4:00 – 4:10 pm    
Welcome Remarks and Introduction

Rana Sajjad Ahmad
Founder and President, CIICA

Syed Imad ud Din Asad
Founding Director, SLP

4:10 – 4:20 pm    
Introduction of CPEC

S. M. Naveed
President, Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry            

4:20 – 5:40 pm    
Session 1: Effective Methods for Resolution of OBOR and CPEC Disputes

Francis Xavier SC
Regional Head, Disputes Practices, Rajah & Tann, Singapore;
Vice President, Inter Pacific Bar Association;
Former Chairman (Singapore Branch), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Dr. Awais-e-Siraj
Team Lead
Prime Minister’s Performance Delivery Unit, Prime Minister’s Office

Engr. Zafar Siddiqui
CEO of Engineering and Management Services;
Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)

Saadia Bhatty
Counsel, Gide Loyrette Nouel, United Kingdom

5:40 – 6:00 pm    
Coffee

6:00 – 7:20 pm    
Session 2: Types of Disputes under CPEC and Potential Synergies for Collaboration between Arbitration and Mediation Institutions in Pakistan and China

Ali Zafar
Advocate, Supreme Court of Pakistan;
Former President, Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan

Zulfiqar Ali
Director, Board of Investment

Dr. Nadia Farooq
Head of Policy,
CPEC Center for Excellence,
Pakistan Institute for Development Economics (PIDE)     

Arshad Ghaffar
Barrister and Arbitrator, 
United Kingdom

7:20 – 7:30 pm    
Closing remarks
            
Rana Sajjad Ahmad
Founder & President, CIICA

7:30 – 09:00 pm         
Dinner