IBA Karachi cancels Dr Atif Mian’s lecture after threats from ‘extremists’

KARACHI – The Institute of Business Administration Karachi has cancelled Dr Atif Mian, scheduled online seminar, the university announced on Thursday.  

Famous economist Dr. Atif Mian’s scheduled lecture on 'Why has economic growth fallen behind in Pakistan?' has been called off by the IBA administration. The seminar, due on November 5, had to be put off due to what Dr. Mian said were "threats that the university administration was facing from extremists".

Mian wished the students of the varsity his "very best wishes and prayers".

I am very sorry to hear this. An opportunity lost for the students and wider interested community.

— Wendy Gilmour (@gilmour_wendy) October 22, 2020

Pakistan's High Commissioner to Canada Wendy Gilmour said she is "very sorry" to hear the event had to be cancelled.

I am very sorry to hear this. An opportunity lost for the students and wider interested community.

— Wendy Gilmour (@gilmour_wendy) October 22, 2020

IBA in a statement expressed regret to all those who had been waiting to participate in the seminar.

Dr. Atif R. Mian’s lecture “Why has economic growth fallen behind in Pakistan?” scheduled on November 5, 2020 has been cancelled. Inconvenience is highly regretted.

— IBA Karachi (@ibakarachi) October 22, 2020

"The government has decided to withdraw Atif Mian's nomination. We aspire to forge ahead with the cooperation of all stakeholders. This includes people from all socio-economic backgrounds and religious scholars. A single appointment cannot be allowed to hold this hostage," the then Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said in a series of tweets.

حکومت نے فیصلہ کیا ہے کہ عاطف میاں کی اقتصادی مشاورتی کمیٹی سے نامزدگی واپس لے لی جائے،حکومت علماء اور تمام معاشرتی طبقات کو ساتھ لے کر ہی آگے بڑھنا چاہتی ہے اور اگر ایک نامزدگی سے مختلف تاثر پیدا ہوتا ہے تو یہ مناسب نہیں۔

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 7, 2018

Academics, journalists and others expressed regret over cancellation of lecture.