GUJJAR KHAN: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday his government was working to turn the country into an Islamic welfare state on the model of the State of Madina where wealth was not accumulated in the hands of a few individuals, but it used to be spent on the wellbeing and welfare of the masses and where members of the minority community enjoyed equal rights.

The prime minister was speaking at a ceremony after laying the foundation stone of a university named after Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, a prominent saint of Islam, near Sohawa town of Jhelum district.

The prime minister said that Islam and science were closely inter-linked and the golden era of Islam produced world’s renowned scientists who were torch-bearers of scientific learning. The prime minister said that founding such a university was his much-cherished dream when he had joined politics 23 years ago.

Lays foundation stone of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani University near Jhelum

“Promotion of leadership qualities and spiritualism would be the main emphasis of learning at this university,” the prime minister said.

“The university has been named after Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, who linked science and spirituality. We consider spirituality a super science which needs research and that research will be conducted here,” Mr Khan said.

The prime minister said that 35 per cent students of the university would be given scholarships and the institution would be run on the pattern of NUML, adding that the institution was being set up through private fund raising and no government finance would be involved in it.

He quoted examples of some Scandinavian and European countries and said they were practicing a system closer to Madina’s Islamic Welfare State.

“We want to forge leadership qualities into our youth and it will happen only when they get to know principles of the Islamic Welfare State of Madina. We will also develop latest technologies at the university, for which we will seek China’s help,” Mr Khan said.

“It is sad that we deviated from our path, but now we must get back on track and institutions like the Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani University will serve as the first step towards renaissance of Islamic learning and Ideology of Pakistan.

APP adds: The prime minister said that the university would teach students principles of State of Madina and Pakistan’s ideology as envisioned by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Mohammad Iqbal.

He said that what had been happening in the country was contrary to the vision of an Islamic welfare state.

Referring to some tragic events of the past, including the dismemberment of the country, the prime minister said that besides the role played by India in that tragedy, the injustice to the people also played an important role in it.

Referring to poverty and backwardness of Sindh and Balochistan, the prime minister said that it had never been envisioned by the country’s forefathers.

He said that after late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, political leaders of the country did nothing for the masses but amassed wealth and made properties for themselves in the country and abroad.

Speaking on the occasion, Religious Affairs Minister Pir Nurul Haq Qadri said that the establishment of university was a step towards accomplishment of objectives of Pakistan’s creation. He said it was a unique idea to teach the life of the holy Prophet, Sufism and science and technology at a single institution.

Mr Qadri said the university would also help dispel the notion that Islam had been spread by the use of force as education and intellect were behind Islam’s popularity and propagation among the masses. He said it was for the first time that the government had been setting up Seerat Chairs at universities to conduct research on the life and teachings of the holy Prophet (PBUH).

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said the prime minister had great compassion towards the poor segment of society.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2019