LAHORE :The Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL) of Lahore University of Management Sciences held a ceremony to mark the inauguration of the Centre for Chinese Legal Studies (CCLS) at the university.
The centre, a groundbreaking initiative for research in and the promotion and teaching of Chinese legal studies in Pakistan, has been established in collaboration with the School of Law, Wuhan University, China. The ceremony drew a large of people, including prominent individuals from not only the legal field, but also from the government sector.
Honourable Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of Supreme Court of Pakistan was the chief guest and keynote speaker on the occasion.
According to a press release, given Pakistan’s increased interaction with China over the past years, the CCLS has been founded as a hub for shared legal resources and an exchange of knowledge between Pakistani academics and their Chinese counterparts. The Centre with the School of Law at Wuhan University (SLWU) will also train qualified academic staff based in Pakistan in order to create capacity for the study and teaching of Chinese law in all relevant areas of concern for Pakistan, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The CCLS will broaden the legal knowledge base and equip lawyers to work on Pak-China projects. Mutual collaboration on research projects and exchange visits will build intellectual capital for both nations. In this regard, CCLS and the School of Law at Wuhan University have commenced a short law course at SAHSOL “Introduction to Chinese Law.”
In his welcoming remarks, Dr Arshad Ahmad, vice chancellor, LUMS, said, “The role of CCLS is to promote exchanges with Wuhan University to teach Chinese law courses, conduct training seminars and attend conferences and symposia on the Chinese legal system. By building academic capacity to study and teach courses in Chinese law through CCLS, both countries stand to gain as ties between both are strengthened through CPEC and the Belt and Road Initiative. This important initiative must succeed for future generations not only to benefit Asia, but to benefit the world, which is increasingly looking to China for its remarkable progress in scientific research and higher education.”
Dr Pervez Hassan, member of the Board of Trustees, LUMS, spoke to the audience and noted how the university was suited to spearhead this initiative. He said, “With the growing Chinese interest in the region, SAHSOL can position itself as a leading legal research hub for students and professors, particularly from Pakistan, China and other Central Asian republics.”
Professor Li Fei, vice-president, Wuhan University, also spoke at the event and expressed his pleasure on the collaboration, “The establishment of this Centre will provide a good platform for Pakistani teachers and students to study Chinese law and culture. Wuhan University will support the developments through legal personnel training, legal academic research and intellectual exchange. The Centre will become an important link, and I hope the two universities will work together to continuously develop China and Pakistan’s friendship.”
In his keynote address, Honourable Mr. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah stressed on the importance of mutual collaboration and the understanding of Chinese culture and said, “Unless we endeavour to understand the history, the tradition and the ethos of the Chinese people, we will not be able to understand their laws. There is much to learn from the Chinese - understanding their people and their culture goes hand in hand with legal education."
He then spoke about how the CCLS was the need of the hour, “Thanks to the visionary leadership at LUMS, we have moved in the right direction with China.
This Centre will go a long way in developing expertise to assist Chinese and Pakistani companies walking in through the economic corridor.” He said the new cadre of professionals with a good sense of Chinese law and tradition would help the businesses by forging partnerships and joint business ventures with much more ease and understanding.