LAHORE: The University of Engineering and Technology (UET) and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on Monday won the 22nd Government College University (GCU) Parliamentary Style Debates 2017 organised by the debating society of GCU.

This year, 180 speakers from 61 educational institutions contested for the trophies at the four-day bilingual tournament, held at the university’s Bukhari Auditorium, from March 24 to 27.

The main topic of the debate at this year’s final was ‘The right of nationality to Afghan children born in Pakistan’.

In the Urdu category, the UET beat Kinnaird College in the finals and lifted the team trophy. Muhammad Afzaan Munir of the UET was declared the best Urdu speaker.

The LUMS was declared the best English team and awarded the ‘Prof Khalid Aftab Trophy’.

At individual level, LUMS orator Hafiz Usman Tanver bagged the ‘Syed Muhammad Ali Abbas Shield’ for best English speaker.

In the under-19 English debates, the team trophy was lifted by Beaconhouse School System, Defence. Addressing the prize distribution ceremony, GCU Debating Society President Raza Aftab Gillani said this contest was first held in 1995 and since then had been a regular feature annually.

Dr Ammar Ali Jan, an eminent debater, social activist and a graduate of Cambridge University, was chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2017