KARACHI: Muslim countries should promote research culture to spread awareness and encourage critical thinking among the young faithful.

This was stated by Islamic Affairs and Endowment of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) executive director Muhammad Obaid Al Mazroui during a visit to Karachi University’s Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centre on Monday.

He also emphasised the need for exploring opportunities that could help enhance academic collaboration between the two countries.

Accompanied by UAE Consul General in Karachi Nasser Huwaiden Al Ketbi, he received a briefing on the ongoing courses at the centre from acting director Dr Abida Perveen.

“Muslim countries should promote research culture to spread awareness and encourage critical thinking” he said, adding that both the UAE and Pakistan enjoyed cordial relations in almost every sector.

The centre, he said, signified the decades old friendly bilateral ties between the two states.

Acting KU vice chancellor Prof Khalid Iraqi said that currently more than 1.2m skilled and semi-skilled Pakistani labourers were working in the UAE, fortifying Pakistan’s foreign reserves by sending regular remittances.

“Pakistan was the first country to formally recognise the UAE and since then both nations enjoyed exemplary ties. The UAE has supported Pakistan on all key issues, including Kashmir, while Pakistan has helped the UAE develop its armed forces, police, health and education institutions,” he said.

Trade between both the countries, he pointed out, was estimated to be $9bn, which showed the level of enormous cooperation between the two nations.

The joint secretary at the ministry of inte­r­provincial coordination, Isla­mabad, Mohamamd Hussain Ahmed Madni, lauded the UAE in establishing Islamic centres in the country in the 1980s and its continued financial support to these institutes. Earlier, Dr Perveen welcomed the guests.

Three-day moot

Karachi University’s Applied Economic and Research Centre (AERC) has announced to hold a three-day international conference from Nov 22.

“The conference titled ‘Transforming Economic Development: Policies and Strategies’ will be inaugurated by education and literacy minister Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS),” said AERC Director Prof Samina Khalil while speaking at a meeting of the organising committee held at the centre.

She said the aim of the conference was to devise development policies and strategies to transform developing economies, particularly that of Pakistan.

The conference would provide an ideal forum for discussion among national and international researchers, practitioners, policy makers and students, she added.

“Research papers on a wide range of subjects will be presented during the conference, including on natural resource management, environmental challenges /urbanisation, political and economic governance, private sector and infrastructure, food security and nutrition, economic and social transformation, trade and development, financial and technological innovation, social safety net and poverty reduction, health inequalities and energy issues,” she said.

Published in Dawn November 22nd, 2016