ISLAMABAD, Feb 1 (APP): President Mamnoon Hussain Saturday urged the Muslim world to forge unity against the challenges confronting them, to achieve a dignified status for the Muslims from across the world. He said “Pakistan is an important part of the Muslim world and the cooperation of Muslim states to help the country meet prevailing challenges would be of utmost importance”. Addressing the 9th Convocation of the International Islamic University, the President said Pakistan attached great value to its ties with Saudi Arabia and wanted to strengthen these with each passing day. The convocation marked the awarding of degrees to 8,923 graduates of PhD, MPhil, Masters and Bachelors classes since 2009 besides conferment of an honorary doctorate degree to Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud by the university. The event was also attended by Pro Chancellor IIU Professor Dr. Suliman A. Aba Al-Khail, Rector IIU Professor Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, President IIU Dr. Ahmad Yousif A. Al-Draiweesh and thousands of graduating students, wearing black gowns and hoods and their respective families. The President also expressed his honor by awarding the honorary PhD degree in Politics and International Relations to Saudi King in recognition of his services in the field of regional and international politics.
He thanked the Muslim countries for extending cooperation to the IIU as well as Pakistan and said that the Muslim states would have to support each other amidst the prevailing challenges. He said Pakistan’s role in the region would gain much importance as the country was going to set up economic corridor linking Gwadar with Kashghar to trigger economic activity in the region. He advised the graduating students to fulfill their responsibilities whatsoever they would be assigned, in their practical lives as sincerity and dedication to the duties would ensure country’s deliverance from numerous issues.
The President also felicitated the new graduates for their success and their parents for their valuable support, desiring a bright future for their kids.President Mamnoon, also the Chancellor the IIU, said the convocations were important milestones in the lives of students as well as academic institutes.
For students these ceremonies marked culmination of their academic careers and a beginning of their practical phase of life, he added. He wished all the graduating students success in the wider and larger world that they would enter and the University continued success in its mission of imparting quality education to the students and equipping them with skills and knowledge.
He said since its establishment, IIU had shown remarkable progress offering a wide range of educational services to local as well as foreign students and attained the status of one of the largest public sector universities of the country.
With more than 25,000 students in its nine faculties and 42 teaching departments, the university was contributing significantly towards the cause of education in the country, he added. He said the enrolment of students from over 45 countries made this university a multi-cultural seat of learning and the presence of nearly 10,000 female students on the roll of university was also heartening. The President appreciated the university’s achievements in the fields of engineering, technology, computer and software engineering where the presence of women in all branches of knowledge secured another landmark for the institution.
“As the graduating students are stepping into their practical phase of life, I would like to remind them that their pursuit of knowledge does not cease here. Knowledge acquisition is a natural instinct. It is the process of continuous learning that develops human mind and enables it to explore the magnificent and vast treasures of nature,” he observed. Mamnoon Hussain said “education enabled harnessing true potentials for betterment of our own, the societies, besides making us a better human being and a productive asset of society”. “It also prepared us to pursue larger goals in life,” he added.
He said the academic institutions, especially the seats of higher learning, had great role to play and were vested with huge responsibility.
He said equally important was the role of the graduates in fulfilling the aims of the education they had acquired from their alma mater. Mamnoon Hussain reiterated that education was the foremost priority of the government and it would continue making every possible effort towards making education more accessible, easy and affordable. He said the government would continue to provide every possible support to the academic institutes in their mission to promote education in the country.
Earlier, the President awarded degrees to the graduates and gold medals to outshining students in various disciplines including engineering, information technology, business management, telecom, politics and international relations, Shariah and Law and Usuluddin. Pro Chancellor IIU Professor Dr. Suliman A. Aba Al-Khail presented a copy of the Holy Quran and piece of Kaaba cover, to the President. Addressing the gathering, Rector IIU Masoom Yasinzai said around 30,000 students had been enrolled in the university and the institution was mainly focusing on engineering, technology, social sciences, and Islamic economics.
President IIU Dr. Ahmad Yousif A. Al-Draiweesh said the university was also mulling the establishment of new faculties including medicine, education and library sciences.