'Science and spirituality': PM Imran lays foundation stone of Al-Qadir University in Sohawa
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Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of Al-Qadir University on Sunday in Sohawa in Jhelum district.
"I had been thinking about creating this university for the past 23 years," the premier said. "It has been named after Abdul Qadir Jilani, who linked science and spirituality. We consider spirituality a super science; it needs research, which will be conducted here.
"Thirty-five per cent students will be given scholarships [at Al-Qadir University]. We will run it on Namal University's model. This varsity is not being established through government funds but through private fundraising.
"This university is being formed for a purpose. We want to turn our youth into leaders. That will happen when they get to know the principles of the state of Madinah. We will undertake research and learn how the Muslims rose from Madinah. We will also develop latest technologies here, for which we will ask China for help."
Taking a stab at previous governments, the premier said: "The ideology, the vision and the objective of Pakistan were long forgotten by our political leadership in recent past [...] it is sad that we deviated from our destined path but now we must get back on track. Institutions like Al-Qadir University will serve as the first step towards doing that."
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, federal minister Fawad Chaudhry and other officials.
Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari visited Sohawa to review arrangements for the foundation laying ceremony of the university, according to Radio Pakistan.
"The best investment for the country at this point is in intellect & learning of its youth," said Bukhari on Twitter. "Al-Qadir University is a vision for making next generation leaders well versed in Islamic foundations — that’s the kind of farsighted ideas Prime Minister Imran Khan and the First Lady have for the Pakistan of tomorrow."
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Comments (77) Closed
May 05, 2019 05:37pm
Build some technical universities
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May 05, 2019 05:43pm
Build 4 IT Universities with Research Centers, in all provinces, those must be under Federal Government, all must report to PM direct, no Muraad and Zardari, please.
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May 05, 2019 05:48pm
Really? We need one here? Come on Mr. PM really? Another jewel in your crown!
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May 05, 2019 05:51pm
Plan or dont plan.
Just do it.
Any problem take a U Turn
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May 05, 2019 05:54pm
Happy to hear this news.... Good investment for future generations
Now something technical for the near future.... Jobs oriented training please... gulf jobs.... Africa jobs...Malaysia jobs....
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May 05, 2019 06:11pm
Who is Mr. Al-Qadir ?
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May 05, 2019 06:16pm
@Wellwisher, and technical Schools....
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May 05, 2019 06:19pm
Well done PTI / Imran Khan.
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May 05, 2019 06:32pm
Well done PM Imran Khan.
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May 05, 2019 06:36pm
@Wellwisher, those are also built
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May 05, 2019 06:51pm
That is good start but at the end we should not land into unrealistic situations.
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May 05, 2019 07:08pm
The next rocket scientist of Pakistan will come from this university. Pakistan asat test will be done here
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May 05, 2019 07:13pm
Big IT, engineering, and research medical universities are due mr. Khan. Shukat khanum could be flag bearer for medical research..
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May 05, 2019 07:23pm
I am confused. Do they teach science or do they teach sufism ? Both cannot co-exist as history proves.
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May 05, 2019 07:23pm
How many dollars per expat. For dam it was $1000
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May 05, 2019 07:32pm
Fix the universities and colleges we already build. They all are in distress, don’t create one more mess.
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May 05, 2019 07:33pm
Pakistan should focus on science and maths.
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May 05, 2019 07:54pm
Awesome! This will help improve quality of our most known export
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May 05, 2019 07:56pm
The need of the hour are IT universities of high caliber which would set the stage for massive development.
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May 05, 2019 08:03pm
Do we really need new universities?
whole world going towards online .. where as Pakistan building new universities.
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May 05, 2019 08:09pm
Better to keep them separate.
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May 05, 2019 08:16pm
I hope Zia Ul Huq like things doesn't happen. Otherwise, the development is not bad.
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May 05, 2019 08:17pm
@Zain,
It will focus on research on spirituality which , as per the article , is super science .
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May 05, 2019 08:30pm
Good
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May 05, 2019 08:34pm
As long the revenue situation is not improved substantially all will only be promises.
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May 05, 2019 08:37pm
' We want to turn our youth into leaders'. I think Pak has too many leaders already. We need people with the technical and business skills with a drive to excel in their field. .
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May 05, 2019 08:55pm
@Saad Khan, agree.
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May 05, 2019 08:55pm
@Wellwisher, agree
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May 05, 2019 09:03pm
First time in the history of pakistan its leardership understands the value of education,let all pakistanis contribute , whatever way they can,
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May 05, 2019 09:09pm
We need character building institutes, where values nourish human personality. Spirituality grow during darkness, while science flourish brightness; both are opposite.
Establishing such university would be a futile effort.
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May 05, 2019 09:12pm
Everyone's gotta problem with IK all of a sudden! I want to know how N or PPP had been better if not worse given the circumstances.
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May 05, 2019 09:36pm
@M. Emad, Spain bowler from the 80s
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May 05, 2019 09:46pm
There is absolutely no combination of science ,spiritualism or the religion ,
Thanks
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May 05, 2019 09:50pm
@Ramesh Reddy, No wonder India has so many universities and many not even meet the minimum standard.On-line universities work in Western countries well not in third world for lack of stringent standards and control.
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May 05, 2019 10:08pm
Science and religion(spirituality) don’t mix and we should keep them separate in their own domains.
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May 05, 2019 10:17pm
Does science and spirituality goes together in Islam!
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May 05, 2019 10:25pm
This explains why he put Fawad Ch as his science and technology minister. He does not really care about science, only Sufism. What a shame!
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May 05, 2019 10:33pm
@Wellwisher, It's a technical university. The full name is, "Al-Qadr University of Sufism, Science & Technology."
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May 05, 2019 10:34pm
Muslims of Baghdad were indulging in these types of thoughts activities when infidel mongols walked over Baghdad and Muslim dynasties inflicting humiliating defeat.
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May 05, 2019 10:35pm
Turn post-grad colleges in universities through capacity building.... have some common sense please
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May 05, 2019 10:45pm
Spirituality is a super science; more closely related to Quantum Physics, Leylines, Pyramids, remote viewing and the Montauk project. Such an intelligent comment from a PM. Simply Wow!
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May 05, 2019 10:54pm
@Zain, this is a not true. Research and you will educate yourself on the matter.
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May 05, 2019 10:54pm
" That will happen when they get to know the principles of the state of Madinah." - Wish he would stop referring to the state of Madinah. Look at the reality of the 21st century, can we afford so many universities, how many jobless graduates we want to produce? Why not pay attention to primary education, build schools in rural areas. Start at the base, then go upward. Look into the working of religious Maddrissas where young minds are being kept away from modern science and technologies.
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May 05, 2019 10:55pm
Wrong priorities. Do Sufis have a space in Pakistan?
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May 05, 2019 10:56pm
This is a great move by PM Imran Khan. Mashallah. Researching spirituality is a good thing to do. This way we can have a generation of citizens who are open and free to explore ideas. Plus it is good to counter the more fundamentalist hardliners who want to hold Pakistan back from progress. PM Imran Khan understands this.
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May 05, 2019 11:04pm
The improvement in the educational and technical institutions has to be priority for the goverment to put the country on a fast overall development course.
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May 05, 2019 11:26pm
Here we go..... We have done enough with science and technology education
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May 05, 2019 11:30pm
'Science and spirituality'. He wants to be all things to all men.
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May 05, 2019 11:31pm
@Saad Khan, -- Good idea.
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May 06, 2019 12:20am
"We consider spirituality a super science" this is really original, even Einstein never could have figured it out.
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May 06, 2019 12:50am
Science and spirituality don't co-exist.
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May 06, 2019 12:51am
A university dedicated to the sciences and spirituality will teach neither.
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May 06, 2019 01:00am
@Zain, sufi by soul.scientist by mind
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May 06, 2019 01:03am
Spirituality will come from India and Technology from China and joining them will create Al-Qadir.
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May 06, 2019 01:03am
@Ramesh Reddy so your logic donot accept co existance.
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May 06, 2019 01:23am
To address the grienvances of people of balouchistan and give equal rights to all like riasat e medinah we inaugurate another University near Lahore Punjab which is less privileged ..everyone government is building up Punjab and widening the gap between provinces
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May 06, 2019 03:03am
People making so many negative comments. This is the very reason you need spiritual education.
What good is science, technology or in case of many of our politicians or their offsprings education in foreign establishments such Oxford university etc when they start looting their mother land.
You need to build basic fundamental aspects of society where you do not corrupt your mind in face wealth and power.
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May 06, 2019 03:30am
@M. Emad, maybe you think it should be named Socrates or some other European name.
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May 06, 2019 03:40am
I hear so much negativity, as soon as any religious aspect is mentioned it seems the secularists come out of the woodwork. these same secularists demand this and that, maybe those criticising should look at what they have done for the nation.
it's the same old 'we want this, we demand this', stop demanding and get off your backsides and do something positive for the country, whether sponsoring a child through education in Pakistan or provide school material in defranchised part of Pakistan.
This is a positive start from the PM, and hopefully there will be more in terms of scientific and technical universities and colleges. this is only possible with a strong economy.
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May 06, 2019 03:41am
@shake chilli, I hope u didn't meet 2 sipais
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May 06, 2019 03:42am
@Ramesh Reddy, how many universities in China, UK and the west. why are so many Indians applying to these universities when they can go online.
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May 06, 2019 05:22am
At the moment, we really don't need science and spirituality, Lord knows we already have enough mullahs. We need jobs, projects to start, eliminate poverty, bring some stability to our drowning economy. Get young people educated in computer science, chemical and mechanical engineering
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May 06, 2019 05:29am
Waiting for the day when PM house will be converted to the University as promised by IK hundreds of times during elections or one more U-turn by IK ?
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May 06, 2019 05:31am
@Saeed, you are 100% right.
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May 06, 2019 05:48am
Nice
Thogh
Strange
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May 06, 2019 05:52am
STEM Education
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May 06, 2019 05:57am
we have more religious center(Darul-Ulum) to serve this purpose. Build a world-class university which can produce quality and impactful research. If you are interested in religious studies, build a center for pluralism or diversity which help us to find strength in diversity and help us build pluralistic society.
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May 06, 2019 06:08am
Another Madrassa where Mulla groups like IJT will enforce Taliban rules..
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May 06, 2019 06:15am
Unless you can improve the quality of education, opening new institutions do not do justice, as qualifications from these universities are not worth the paper they are written on.
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May 06, 2019 06:28am
Mr. Primer Minister Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi,
A good step against the extremism.
Congratulations.
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May 06, 2019 06:31am
@Saif Zulfiqar,
Mr. Saif Zulfiqar.
Yes.
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May 06, 2019 06:32am
@SkyHawk,
Mr. SkyHawk,
Yes.
It is a good idea.
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May 06, 2019 07:03am
'Science and belligerent spirituality': PM Imran lays foundation stone of Al-Qadir University in Sohawa. "I had been thinking about creating this university for the past 23 years," the premier said. "It has been named after Abdul Qadir Jilani, who linked science and belligerent spirituality. We consider belligerent spirituality a super science; it needs research, which will be conducted here.
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May 06, 2019 07:10am
Such unis are best in countries risen to level of high tolerance & pluralism otherwise their produce would be narrow minded dogmatics (of which we have plenty). Research basically requires challenging the established practices & ideas, with few exceptions our local Phds are plagiarized degrees produced by commercial charlatans, our greater need is vocational institutes definitely not another substandard university...sorry !
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May 06, 2019 07:28am
Hats off to Imran Khan. Sufism beyond doubt can add great value to a society. It can bring moderation and spread love in place of hatred.
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May 06, 2019 09:57am
@Salaria, research on spirituality???? Well, good for mediaeval period.
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May 06, 2019 10:13am
Science and spirituality: same connection as between Astronomy and astrology.
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