ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said Pakistan could emerge as a great nation by securing a high place in the world of contemporary education and by adopting the fundamentals of morality.
“A combination of knowledge and values can earn the Pakistani nation success and integrity in the world,” he said at the launch of ‘One Aligarh University’ here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The One Aligarh University – a virtual university run by non-profit organization Strands – aims at transforming the country’s education system in line with ideals of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. President Alvi stressed that knowledge alone could not guarantee a positive and balanced society unless coupled with the values based on humanity and social justice.
He said great philosopher and academic Sir Syed Ahmed Khan had developed a sense of realization among the Muslims of Sub-continent to attain education so as to avert exploitation at the hands of Hindus. Now it was the time to inculcate the same concept of knowledge and morality among the youth of Pakistan to help them meet the challenges of modern world, he stressed. “As knowledge takes new forms of artificial intelligence and smart technology,” he said, adapting to new modes of education was need of the day.
The president expressed confidence that One Aligarh University would realize the dreams of Quaid-e-Azam and national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal in making the homeland prosperous. Strands Chairman Air Marshal (retd) Shahid Hamid said the initiative, as a well-thought out and culturally-driven process, would prove to be a game-changer in the field of education. Around 300-400 professionals would be affiliated with the virtual university, the second phase of which would be launched in brick and mortar form in the year 2022, he added. Ahmed Saeed, the great-great-grandson of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, said One Aligarh University would be run on a futuristic approach along with social training of students combined with character-building and physical development. Colonel (retd) Syed Zafar Uddin Ahmed, an Aleeg, stressed a system of education that ensured national unity and character-building.
Member of Strands Colonel (retd) Naveed Zafar said the main objective of the University was personal unification, resetting of paradigms and mindsets, and transforming the ability to map knowledge. Earlier, the president formally inaugurated the One Aligarh University by pressing the button at the virtual launch on the occasion. First Lady Samina Alvi also attended the event.
