1ST SESSION OF IIUI CONVOCATION ADDRESSED BY WORTHY PRO-CHANCELLOR IIUI, RECTOR IIUI AND PRESIDENT IIUI
President of Pakistan and Chancellor International Islamic University H.E. Dr. Arif Alvi Wednesday addressing the 12th Convocation of IIUI emphasized upon the women’s active participation in all sectors, saying that women should join the workforce after completion of education for the betterment of the society.
Addressing the 12th Convocation ceremony of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), the president of Pakistan, Calling the new graduates “elite” going into decision-making, President Alvi said it was their responsibility to uplift the poor and change the society.
The president, who earlier awarded PhD degrees to 181 and gold medals to 78 students, congratulated the students, their parents as well as the university and teachers for their hard work. He was appreciative that girl students consisted of over half of the total 34,000 strength of the university. On 12th Convocation, as many as 26992 graduates will receive the degrees that includes 12817 male and 14715 female graduates.
He said that one of the reasons behind Pakistan lacking prosperity was the non-involvement of women in decision making as well as the economic corridors of power. He added that nation’s investment on the women’s education went to waste when they sat at home without going into the practical life.
The President said responsibility rests with the state to provide protection to the women against harassment at work places. Dr Arif Alvi said Hazrat Khadija (R.A) was a business woman. He also quoted the Quaid-e-Azam who emphasized to encourage women in different fields. “Education is investment of this poor nation on you. If you will sit at home, this will be the loss of the nation” he said.
He advised the new graduates to welcome the knowledge without any religious biases or selection, and always remain humble and act as a knowledge-seeker. Expressing his worries about the unbridled human mentality as being practiced in Gaza, the president said Muslims derived their laws from Holy Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
He lauded Pope Francis’ call for a ceasefire in Gaza, though the West and Israel seemed unwilling to do so. He said the world was keeping mum on the issue to serve the interests of the West which was unjustified in wake of the unprecedented barbarism being committed by the Israel against innocent Palestinians.
Lamenting the Muslims’ hesitation and misinterpretation of the scientific inventions in the past, he said the second renaissance of Muslims was not possible without keeping the doors to knowledge open.
The IIUI Pro-Chancellor and President of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic Univeristy, Dr Ahmed Salem Muhammad Al-Ameri congratulated the new graduates and said by obtaining degrees, they were stepping into their practical lives. He appreciated the initiatives of Dr. Hathal Homoud Alotaibi saying that the university was heading to the right direction in his leadership. He also mentioned that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman Bin Abdulaziz and His Royal Highness Princess Mohammed Bin Salman give great importance to ties with Pakistan. He also told that the Saudi Government has been keen to introduce the scholarships through a detailed program. Being the President of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic Univeristy he said they have close connection with IIUI and Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic Univeristy is always eager to expand bilateral ties with educational institutions across the world. He hoped that the future will witness more programs and conference with the joint ventures and exchange of delegations between IIUI and Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. He congratulated the President of Pakistan that he has been supervising the best hub of learning and thousands of graduates are now going embark on a new journey of success. He said depoliticization of the educational institutions is a pre-requisite for the constructive results. He urged the faculty to produce highly skilled youth inculcated with teachings of Islam. He stressed that we need to learn from the experiences of others and we must make research our top priority.
Rector IIUI Dr Samina Malik said the IIUI was imparting education in hundreds of professional disciplines making it one of the best institutions in the world. She said to fulfil our mission of equipping our students with the emerging knowledge, we have revamped entire curriculum across 11 faculties and introduced the modern branches of sciences. She said that the President of the University, Dr. Hathal Hamoud Alotaibi has been actively pursuing this agenda. His efforts like new organogram, decentralization, strategic planning have started yielding fruits in the shape of improvement in national and international ranking. Undoubtedly, the patronage of Prof. Al- Ameri has provided multiple strength, she added. “ I can imagine your joy and pride at your accomplishment-heartfelt sensations that are the well-deserved outcome of your hard work and dedication”.
The IIU President Dr Hathal Homoud Alotaibi highlighting the 2022-26 Strategic Plan, said the university had taken multiple initiatives to modernize the teaching process and thanked the Saudi government for supporting the institution. He told the ceremony that work on Campus Management Project had been completed to convert the varsity on electronic system and that quality department had been transformed into quality and development directorate. He presented a detailed report of the infrastructural and academic excellence based reforms of university in the light of strategic plan in previous three year I the light if the strategic plan. He said the university management focuses on decentralization, digitization and infrastructural plans to make IIUI a real international institution. He thanked H.E. Dr. Alvi for his keen interest to make IIUI a prestigious hub of learning.
Saudi Ambassador in Islamabad Nawaf bin Said Ahmad Al-Malki, Qatari Ambassador Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, first secretary of Thailand, IIUI Pro-Chancellor Dr Ahmed Salem Muhammad Al-Ameri, Rector Dr Samina Malik and President Dr Hathal Homoud Alotaibi also attended the convocation besides diplomats and educationists.