LAHORE: (Tuesday, April 09, 2013): Punjab University Institute of Social and Cultural Studies’ National Centre for Resettlement and Rehabilitation (NCRR) was inaugurated at a video conference held at Undergraduate Study Centre here on Tuesday.

PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, Dean Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences Prof Dr Zakria Zakir, Incharge NCRR Ms Rahila Rahat, faculty members and participants from India and Bangladesh participated through video link. Addressing the ceremony, Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran said that there was a dire need of research for resettlement and rehabilitation of people especially in Pakistan as a large number of people had been displaced because of terrorism. He said that the centre would help cope with such problems being faced by South Asian countries. Dr Zakria Zakir said that the one of the aims of the centre was to produce indigenous experts rather than importing human resource. He said that resettlement and rehabilitation of the displaced people was not an easy task. He said that the attitude of bureaucracy during land acquisition process was worsening problems of the people. Representing the World Bank from New Delhi, Mr John Henry Stein, Director Sustainable Development, South Asia Region said that the purpose of establishment of the centres was to provide a platform where they could share their experience and get benefit from each others’ researches. Manager Social Development Unit (Chair), World Bank Ms Maria Correia said that there was a need of mutual co-operation while dealing with the issues of resettlement and rehabilitation in the region. From Indian Hyderabad, Director General ASCI Dr SK Rao said that such networking would prove that we could resolve issues and would set a precedent for the rest of the world. Representing BARC Development Institute from Dhaka, Dr Firdous Jahan said that outdated laws and bad administration were creating severe problems in land acquisition in Bangladesh and people were suffering in resettlement and rehabilitation process. She said that NCRR was totally a new experience for them and they would learn a lot. All the participants especially thanked Mr Chaohua Zhang, Lead Social Development Specialist, World Bank for his support for establishment of these centres.