Ismaili News

Thursday, October 15, 2009

By Schezee Zaidi


Islamabad


Oxford University Press (OUP) launched a book on rural development in South Asia titled ‘A Journey Through Grassroots Development: Agha Khan Rural Support Programme’, written by Shoaib Sultan Khan.



Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen chaired the launching ceremony, held at the National Library here Wednesday. Sartaj Aziz, Vice Chancellor Beaconhouse National University, was the guest of honour, while Ghazi Salahuddin, Editorial Director Geo, and Muhammad Amjad Saqib, Executive Director ‘Akhuwat’, were present as the keynote speakers.



Appreciating the important and productive role of AKRSP in various poverty alleviation projects in Gilgit-Baltistan, Shaukat Tareen said the government is keen to exploit the economic potential of Gilgit-Baltistan for the prosperity of the poor people of the region.



Eulogising the efforts of the author in compiling the valuable book, he said the book would make an important contribution towards recording firsthand experience in rural development. He also stressed the need to redefine and address rural development with utmost urgency to find remedies of the current economic crisis through community development and offer guidelines for changing the lives of millions by mobilising their own potentials.



Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director Oxford University Press, introduced the author and the book by saying, “The book has been distilled from the richness of the author’s experience in a highly readable style, with useful insights of rural development in South Asian environment.”



The speakers, Ghazi Salahuddin and Amjad Saqib, welcomed the book as a valuable addition to the knowledge base of people centred development and evidence-based advocacy for policy change, conducive to sustainable development.



The book relates to the story of participatory development experience in the rural areas of South Asia. The lessons learned in rural development, based on the author’s work over the last 50 years in various areas of South Asia, are narrated in the context of ‘working within the system and living within the means’. The author also describes the basic principles of rural development through engaging and interacting with the rural community to shape their lives. Operational details of such interactions between communities and professionals are also combined by the author as an inspirational content on the efforts of these people to ignite hope. The book also provides personal insight into AKRSP.



The author, Shoaib Sultan, has served the government of Pakistan as CSP Officer for 25 years and is the recipient of ‘Hilal-e-Imtiaz’, ‘Magsaysay Award’ from the president of Philippines, and World Conservation Medal from WWF International for selfless dedication to his work. He has also worked with Unicef, UNDP, RSPN, NRSP, SRSOGBTI, AKRSP, SRSP, PRSP, and BRSP.


http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=203234


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