KARACHI: Speakers at a conference hosted by the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) discussed the uncertainties of the emerging global order, climate risks and economic development strategies.

The Fifth Annual International Confer­ence — A New Global Order, Yet Again — was organised in collaboration with IBA’s School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS) and the Centre for Business & Economic Research (CBER).

The conference brought together national and international experts.

Dr S Akbar Zaidi, executive director of IBA Karachi, opened the event, expressing gratitude to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank and emphasising the role of strong institutions, climate resilience, and historical perspective in shaping the future, according to a press release issued on Friday.

Chair of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee and former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar warned that selective sanctions and fractured global blocs are pushing the world towards a 2.6-3.6°C climate overshoot.

She highlighted China’s rise in global manufacturing and US imports, and underscored Pakistan’s climate vulnerability, strategic non-alignment, and the need for a foreign policy aligned with national interest and a stronger Global South voice.

Prominent attendees included World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Boloramaa Amgaabazar, IMF Resident Representative Mahir Binici, Lead Economist Asian Development Bank Farzana Noshab and former Chief Economist at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Qadir Khan.

The conference featured panel discussions on Pakistan’s poverty, equity and resilience, trade and stability and the implications of a shifting multipolar world order.

Sessions on climate change and social protection, moderated by Dr Lubna Naz, explored strategies to protect vulnerable households from escalating climate risks.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2025