Punjab Minister for Higher Education, Raja Yasir Humayun has called stressed the need of promoting the culture of free thinking among students as free thinking leads to finding the truth.
He was addressing the first National Conference on Research in Education organised by Punjab University Institute of Education and Research in Lahore on Tuesday. PU’s former Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Moeen Nasar, University of Okara Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zakria Zakar, PU Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Saleem Mazhar, University of Baltistan Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Naeem Khan, Dean Faculty of Education Prof Dr Abid Hussain Chaudhry, IER Director Prof Dr Rifaqat Ali Akbar, Sheikhul Hadees Jamia Nusrat ul Aloom Maulana Zahid ur Rashidi, Conference Secretary Prof Dr Shahid Farooq and eminent scholars from various parts of the country participated in the event.
Addressing the ceremony, Raja Yasir Humayun said, “We must inculcate high moral values among the new generation and we must also educate students to apply logic on issues.” He said that students must not be forced to adopt specific fields of knowledge or ideas. He said that feeding the hungry and providing basic facilities to the citizens like education and health are the responsibility of an Islamic state.
He said, “Islam taught us to take care of minorities and we have a comprehensive document to live our life in the form of the Holy Quran. We must take guidance from the Holy Quran in every sphere of life.”
Former PU VC Prof Dr Zafar Moeen Nasar said that without promotion of the culture of tolerance, peace and harmony through knowledge, it is not possible to achieve the purpose of establishment of the state of Madina. He said, “There was a need to adopt a firm resolve as we achieved the goal of becoming a nuclear power only due to strong determination. We have forgotten the slogan on which our homeland was established.” He said that the country can make progress if every citizen realized and performed its responsibility.
PU PRO VC Prof Dr Saleem Mazhar said that the knowledge which is obtained to gain worldly benefits proved to be a futile excursion, adding, “We must obtain knowledge for the purification of the soul.”
Dr Naeem Khan said that the state of Madina gave special attention to knowledge. He stressed the need to advance in the fields of science and technology, saying that the universities must produce graduates with open minds.
Dean Dr Abid Hussain Chaudhry said that it was not possible to achieve the goals of a single national curriculum unless the whole system is refined. Prof Dr Rifaqat Ali Akbar said that the dream to practice the principles of Islam was seen before the establishment of Pakistan in this region. However, he said, the incumbent government had moved one step ahead with the announcement to establish a state like Madina in Pakistan. He said that the Institute of Education and Research would give guidelines to the government to implement a great education system in the country as per its vision.
