ISLAMABAD: Participants of a moot on Saturday discussed the impact of the US aid suspension on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the development sector in Pakistan and possible alternatives to sustainable development.

The seminar titled, `Paradigm Shift Towards Sustainability: Aid Freeze and its Impact`, was organised by the Team for Development (SMC) Private Limited in Islamabad.

According to a statement, participants from the Human Development Foundation, Human Appeal, Aiming Change for Tomorrow, and Read Pakistan, among others, attended the event.

Barbara Toye Welsh, ex-chief of party USAID Pakistan Reading Project, pondered upon the opportunities in grantsthat could be availed from other donors in Pakistan with an emphasis on developing a sustainable approach.

Javed Jabbar, ex-federal minister and a policy analyst, shared his sustainable growth model leaving aid-based economy behind.

Neelum Wasif, a consultant on microfinance systems for institutions, spoke on the available solutions for companies to proceed and act if they choose microfinancing.

WWF Senior Director Fawad Hayat spoke on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as an alternative but warned of dependency on profit-bearing entities.

Suhail Iqbal, a senior project and programme management professional who has been associated with Project Management Institute, USA, proposed initiating self-sustainable projects to meet the goals defined and set under the Sustainable Development Goals.