BAHAWALPUR, Feb 16: Speakers at the concluding session of a two-day national conference on Pakistan’s foreign policy held at Islamia University here on Thursday stressed the need for evolving the foreign policy in consultation with academicians and educationists.

Speaking at the session presided over by vice-chancellor Prof Dr Belal A Khan, former foreign secretary Tanveer Ahmed Khan said universities could play a pivotal role in setting new dimensions of the country’s foreign policy for which services of experts, teachers and faculty members could be utilised. He said foreign policy should be evolved after a national consensus. This, he added, was essential as each member of civil society was directly or indirectly affected by the policy. He said during the present age of information technology, people responsible for the formation of foreign policy should also equip themselves with the latest knowledge and trends.

Tanveer Ahmed Khan suggested that ummah should set up a Middle East Study Centre in any Muslim country. This, he said, should serve as a consultative centre to examine the available resources, political and economic matters of Muslim countries and international trends towards Muslim countries.

Dr Belal expressed the hope that recommendations of the conference would be utilised by the experts of foreign policy.

—Correspondent