Event Coverage: SSC Constitution Debate

“Red, White or Blue, we are for SZABIST, through and through”
– Wardah Farooq (BBA 7B, Team Visionaries).

On the 13th December 2009, the SZABIST Auditorium hosted the “SSC Constitution Debate”. With a judges panel of celebrated intellects and a sharp moderator, it was attended by nearly 300 students (with voting cards) supporting the 3 teams of final year BBA:

Panelists:

1. BBA 7A: Sana Jalal, Javeria Abdul Rashid & Sahar Saeed (Concordians)
2. BBA 7B: Anoushey Ahmed, Wardah Farooq & Musavir Gajani (Visionaries)
3. BBA 7C: Salman Rashid, Asra Zafar & Jameel Ahmed Jamali (Igniters)

Judges:

1. Mr Abraiz Ali Khan (Senior Faculty, SZABIST)
2. Mr. Qashif Effendi (VP Academics, SZABIST)
3. Mr. Masood Shah (HR Director, SZABIST)
4. Mr. Sajjad Mahesri (Senior Faculty, SZABIST)

Debate Moderator: Mr. Sumair Siraj (MBA Coordinator, SZABIST)

Each team was tasked to update & create a new constitution for the SSC highlighting issues ranging from election nomination criteria to rights of SSC in resolving student’s academic issues. It was perhaps by opening up these issues that they could bring all teams to an agreement on what needs to be done about the lack of unity and cohesiveness.

Upon being prompted by the moderator, each team has a fixed amount of time to defend their suggestions on various changes and additions to the constitution; this was followed by a request for supporters of the various groups to raise color cards as a symbol of acceptance. 7A, 7B & 7C were White Concordians, Blue Visionaries and Red Igniters respectively.

Attendees had their say in the question/answer segment, with the questioner having the option at directing his or her concern at either all or one team. Mr. Sumair Siraj surprised everyone with clever comic relief when faced with overwhelming votes for one particular team, commanding civility over the proceedings and in deciphering weak structured questions.

The undertone of the whole event was driven by the polite demeanor; that there were no winners or losers, but I expected arguments and discords as readily accepting each other’s view does not truly represent the rat race attitude encouraged at SZABIST.

The SSC Constitution Debate managed to influence the collective intellect of the participants and voters, casting aside those non attendants who passively accepted the system to let it remain the way it is. The only matter that remains to be seen what people take back from this experience to freshen up or choose to remain stuck in the middle. It is always interesting to see how these discussions enable students to share and collaborate in their expertise & experiences to become more sustainable.

I would like to paraphrase the current President of SSC and speaker for the BBA 7C Team Igniters, Salman Rashid, “This debate is not a contest of colors or sections, we are hear to vote on the most constructive, fair and implementable constitution for the betterment of our fellow & future students. Regardless of the outcome of tonight’s proceedings, it is SZABIST that wins … because it is for SZABIST that we are here Tonight”.

Now that’s what I call school spirit!

Babar Javed is Managing Director of Mission Centenarian, a health & fitness company founded in 2007, which comprises of a network of personal trainers in Karachi. He was most recently the chief marketing officer at Élan Guides & has worked with GlaxoSmithKline & UBL Fund Managers as well. Currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Marketing from SZABIST, his key interests lie in healthcare, education & green energy

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