Pakistani Students Win Indian Debate

Indian and Pakistani youth pitted their debating skills against each other here Thursday with the growing camaraderie between their countries reflected in the cross-current of ideas and verbal exchanges that were without rancour. The Pakistani team, comprising three students from different colleges, beat the Indians in the first India-Pakistan Seminar Debate organised by Miranda House college at the India International Centre (IIC) here.

Imad Hanzal Atiq of Karachi Grammar School, who led the Pakistani team, bolstered his team's chances with his point that "any economic relationship is an exploitative relationship as all parties involved try to benefit from the others' disadvantage". The debate was on the topic "When economies move closer, nations follow" and was moderated by Prof Krishnakumar, director of India's National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

The debate was judged by eminent personalities like former attorney general Soli Sorabjee and IIC director P.C. Sen. To an Indian argument that agricultural exchanges should form the first stepping-stone toward normalisation of ties, Omer Riyaz, a member of the Pakistani team, wittily remarked he would be a better promoter of the 'dosa' he had for breakfast than a Pakistani farmer…