IBA, Karachi launches Dispute Resolution Forum
October 26, 2019: The Center for Executive Education (CEE), Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi launched the IBA Dispute Resolution Forum (DRF) at the City Campus to promote services such as mediation, arbitration and conciliation as effective means of resolving disputes especially in the civil/commercial space.
The IBA DRF is inspired by the Harvard Negotiation Project; a project created at Harvard University, which deals with issues of negotiations and conflict resolution.
The IBA-CEE has launched this forum to support the business community, especially owners of family businesses, to take advantage of available alternative dispute mechanisms such as mediation for cost-effective and expeditious dispute resolution.
DRF will seek to implement non-court based practices of dispute resolution and negotiation, by working on real world disputes, improving conflict intervention methods, providing education and training, writing and disseminating conflict resolution techniques and practices. The forum will provide services of a panel of experts in dispute resolution for commercial disputes and negotiations. The forum can be accessed by emailing on drf@iba.edu.pk.
The Forum is spearheaded by an Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) team, comprising of Advocate of the High Courts of Pakistan and Chair ICC Mediation Commission Ms. Navin Merchant; General Consul, Company Secretary and Head Corporate Communications ICI Pakistan Limited Ms. Nausheen Ahmad; Advocate and Assistant Professor IBA Karachi Mr. Mohammad Sohaib Saleem; and Barrister at Ijaz Ahmed and Associates, Hardwicke Chambers in Lincoln’s Inn, London and Advocate High Court, Altaf Qureshi.
Addressing the audience, chief guest CEO Pakistan Business Council Mr. Ehsan Malik highlighted the issues faced by businesses in Pakistan. He stated, “Dispute resolution processes in Pakistan are lengthy and rarely conclusive, which stifles growth and innovation, impedes investment and results in red tape. Pakistan has been ranked 136 out of 190 countries for ease of doing business by the World Bank and on the index of enforcing contracts, the country was ranked 156.”
In his opening remarks Executive Director IBA Dr. Farrukh Iqbal said that, “Through forums such as the IBA Dispute Resolution Forum, we can offer business expeditious and cost-effective means for dispute resolution, therefore increasing confidence and removing impediments.”
Furthermore, Associate Dean Faculty of Business Administration IBA Dr. Huma Baqai said, “Mediation is a very effective tool to assist businesses to get speedy enforcement of contracts and also to resolve their disputes amicably. When we conceived the project, we realized there was already a pool of trained experts available, as IFC had launched a project in 2016 under its ease of doing business pillar to promote mediation. We decided to build on this to institutionalize and provide a credible forum for dispute resolution”.
Ms. Merchant shared the benefits of mediation for dispute resolution and said, “Mediation is an empowering and effective means of alternative dispute resolution. Mediation especially for family businesses will be extremely beneficial as it maintains confidentiality, preserves relationships and promotes harmony. It is probably in acknowledgement of this that the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has issued rules promoting mediation”.
Other members of the ADR Team namely Mr. Qureshi, Ms. Ahmad and Mr. Saleem also spoke at the event. The ceremony ended with a vote of thanks by Director IBA-CEE Mr. Jami Moiz who also presented a token of appreciation to the chief guest.
