ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Engr Muhammad Balighur Rehman has said that the education is essential to the establishment of peace and development.
The minister said this while addressing the two-day international conference on the role of Muslims in the contemporary age, jointly organised by the University of Lahore, International Universities Council and International Union of Muslim Scholars here on Tuesday.
The heads of a number of universities, academicians and senior scholars from the Muslim countries are participating in the conference.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the government of Pakistan is fully focused on obtaining universal literacy in the country and also meeting the national goal set for higher education. He added that Muslims today are facing challenges, and terrorism is one of those challenges.
Baligh further said that Pakistan has played a key role against terrorism, and succeeded in rolling it back and bringing peace.
The minister also said that it is time for the Islamic countries to put their resources, both human and financial, towards achieving the cherished goal of peace, harmony, development and security in the world. “The Muslim countries will also have to link up with the larger world to accomplish the common goals and develop the capacity for this purpose,” the minister added.
He also said that Muslims will have to focus on education and equip themselves with modern technologies and skills.
Baligh went on to say that that “we will have to inculcate in our students the habit of reading to make them life-long learners”. He added that we need to focus on character building of the students to enable them to differentiate between right and wrong.
The education minister also said that the present government is focusing on the promotion of quality education in the country, and raising funds for the purpose.
The minister congratulated the University of Lahore, the Internal Universities Council and International Union of Muslim Scholars for organising the international conference in Islamabad.
He hoped that this gathering of scholars, academicians, diplomats, and ulema will come up with a way forward and suggest an actionable strategy on how the Muslims should position themselves in the present and fast moving world.
