ISLAMABAD: Participants of a moot on Saturday discussed the impact of the US aid suspension on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the development sector in Pakistan and possible alternatives to sustainable development.

The seminar titled, ‘Paradigm Shift Towards Sustainability: Aid Freeze and its Impact’, was organised by the Team for Development (SMC) Private Limited in Islamabad.

According to a statement, participants from the Human Development Foundation, Human Appeal, Aiming Change for Tomorrow, and Read Pakistan, among others, attended the event.

Barbara Toye Welsh, ex-chief of party USAID Pakistan Reading Project, pondered upon the opportunities in grants that could be availed from other donors in Pakistan with an emphasis on developing a sustainable approach.

Javed Jabbar, ex-federal minister and a policy analyst, shared his sustainable growth model leaving aid-based economy behind.

Neelum Wasif, a consultant on microfinance systems for institutions, spoke on the available solutions for companies to proceed and act if they choose micro-financing.

WWF Senior Director Fawad Hayat spoke on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as an alternative but warned of dependency on profit-bearing entities.

Suhail Iqbal, a senior project and programme management professional who has been associated with Project Management Institute, USA, proposed initiating self-sustainable projects to meet the goals defined and set under the Sustainable Development Goals.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2025