Pakistan

Allama Iqbal advocated global cooperation rather than dominance, says Professor Sachs

Published

3 months ago

Farwa

OXFORD: World’s renowned economist, Professor Jeffrey Sachs on Monday highlighted Allama Iqbal’s intellectual thought, his vision for a world free of exploitation — based on justice and solidarity — saying “Iqbal was a man of peace who advocated cooperation and dialogue between civilisations”.

The economist was speaking at the annual Allama Iqbal Lecture organised by the Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) with a packed audience in Lady Margaret Hall at the University of Oxford.

Professor Sachs is a world-renowned economist, author, and advisor to governments around the world. He is also the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and a leading advocate of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Professor Jeffrey Sachs while speaking to the audience at Lady Margaret Hall on March 6, 2023. — By the author

Professor Sachs quoted a message given by Iqbal to the Lahore radio station a few months before his death in 1938 in which he had argued that the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity cannot be realised unless we consider the whole world as one “family of God”.

He highlighted the relevance of this message for both its own time, having been delivered a few years before the World War, but also for contemporary global affairs that require new geopolitics of peace and cooperation.

He advised that poor developing countries like Pakistan which have historically enjoyed close relations with both China and the United States should not be coerced into choosing sides.

The lecture attracted a large audience of Oxford students, senior academics, and several heads of departments and faculties.

Professor Sachs (left) and executive director of the Dadabhoy Foundation Abdul Ghani Dadabhoy. — By the author

The High Commissioner for Pakistan to the United Kingdom, Moazzam Ahmad Khan, his wife, and guests from London were also in attendance.

On this occasion, Abdul Ghani Dadabhoy, the Executive Director of the Dadabhoy Foundation which supports education and social development initiatives in Pakistan and sponsors the Allama Iqbal lecture series at the University of Oxford, stressed the need for dialogue and collaboration.

He reiterated the support of the Dadabhoy Foundation in facilitating such conversations and providing a platform for global experts, such as Professor Sachs, to share their knowledge and expertise.

The OPP is a multi-pronged initiative that seeks to promote academic collaboration between the University of Oxford and Pakistan. The programme offers scholarships and research grants to Pakistan-origin students.

The Iqbal lecture was live streamed from Oxford to around 50 participating universities across Pakistan, a list that not only included well-known universities such as LUMS and IBA but also higher education institutions in far-flung areas, such as Mardan’s Women’s University, the University of Turbat in Balochistan, and Karakoram University in Gilgit-Baltistan.

A group photo of Pakistani participants at Lady Margaret Hall after an annual Allama Iqbal lecture at the University of Oxford, UK on March 6, 2023. — By the author

Commenting on the significance of this model of engagement, the Programme’s co-founders Professor Adeel Malik, Dr Talha Jamal Pirzada, and Mr Haroon Zaman emphasised the need to make scholarly voices shaping the global discourse accessible to Pakistani students who would otherwise not be able to engage with such speakers.

The Iqbal lecture series, they highlighted, also plays an important role in generating a holistic debate on the campus and in creating an important cultural bridge between Oxford and Pakistan.

The Iqbal lecture is held annually and aims to draw prominent scholars, intellectuals, and policymakers from around the world.

Pakistan

KU students end protest after ‘picked up’ student returns

Published

18 hours ago

Farwa

KARACHI: Students of Karachi University called off their protest after a fellow student who was allegedly “picked up” from the varsity’s premises returned.

A KU student confirmed to Geo News that Saqib, the student who was allegedly “whisked away”, has returned.

The students of the varsity had launched a protest, earlier today, after Saqib was allegedly “taken away”.

The protesters told Geo News that the student, studying at the Department of Urdu, was allegedly whisked away by some people in plain clothes. They said the men claimed they were from a law enforcement agency.

However, KU Security Adviser Dr Moiz Khan said Rangers have disassociated themselves from the incident.

The university’s administration analysed the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to identify the students and the people who picked him up.

After the incident, the students staged a protest outside KU’s Silver Jubilee Gate and blocked the University Road.

However, upon the police’s request, they shifted their protest to the front of the varsity’s administration block.

The Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) claimed that the student was its worker.

Pakistan

Jibran Nasir’s ‘kidnapping’ case registered hours after he was ‘picked up’ in Karachi’s DHA

Published

18 hours ago

Farwa

Cases registered under sections 365 and 34 of PPC.
Nasir’s wife seeks immediate release of her husband.
Protest today at 4:00pm at KPC to demand Nasir’s release.

KARACHI: The port city’s police have registered a “kidnapping” case of prominent lawyer and human rights activist Jibran Nasir on the complaint of his wife, Mansha Pasha, hours after the advocate was “picked up” from Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area.

The case has been registered at the Clifton Police Station under two sections of the Pakistan Penal Code — 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

Pasha, a renowned actress, told police in an application earlier that her husband was “picked up” by men on Thursday night.

Mansha Pashas application to the police. — provided by the reporter — Mansha Pasha’s application to the police. — provided by the reporter

Police were at first, according to Pasha, not registering the FIR. She said she would move the court if the law enforcers did not register the case.

She stated: “On 01.06.2023 at about 11:00 pm, I was returning from dinner with my husband in our personal car … when a white color Toyota Hilux / Vigo … intercepted and hit our car from the front-left side and forced us to stop near Ideal Bakery on 26th Street, Defence Phase 5, Karachi.”

She further added: “Another vehicle i.e. a Silver Corolla blocked our vehicle from behind and as such, we were surrounded. Some 15 people along with weapons came out from the said vehicles in civil clothes and forced my husband to get out of the car, man-handling him towards the subject vehicle. They then abducted him and took him away and his whereabouts are unknown till now.”

In her application, she also requested immediate action be taken to ensure his swift release.

“In light of the above-mentioned situation, I have no other recourse than to approach your office for registration of my complaint for my missing husband. I would be thankful if an immediate action is taken for his swift release. Furthermore, action in accordance with law must be taken against those who abducted my husband,” she wrote.

Furthermore, Pasha told Geo News that a protest was being held at 4:00pm at the Karachi Press Club to demand her husband’s release.

Condemnations

As the news of Nasir’s abduction went viral, several people and human rights organisations condemned the incident.

Concerned by the abduction, they demanded that Nasir be returned home safely and quickly.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) took to Twitter stating: “HRCP is deeply concerned by reports that lawyer and activist [Jibran Nasir] has been abducted by unknown armed persons in Karachi. We demand that he be safely recovered immediately and his abductors held accountable under the law.”

Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Salman Sufi also tweeted his support for the human rights activist.

“Very disturbing to hear about [Jibran Nasir] abduction. Hope Sindh police will assist his family and locate him immediately. Jibran has always spoken against violent extremism and rioting. Hoping for his safe and immediate return,” he wrote.

Moreover, Imaan Mazari, the daughter of the former human rights minister Shireen Mazari expressed his dismay at the news.

“No words… complete madness,” she tweeted.

Pakistan

8-year-old girl raped in Islamabad

Published

18 hours ago

Farwa

Afghan girl was raped by a man in broad daylight.
Case lodged at Shahzad Town Police Station.
Medico-legal official confirms the girl’s rape.

ISLAMABAD: An 8-year-old Afghan girl was raped by a man in broad daylight who managed to run away in the presence of residents of Mohallah Diptian falling in the jurisdiction of Shahzad Town Police Station, The News reported Friday.

The minor victim was shifted to a hospital where the medico-legal official confirmed the rape.

The Shahzad Town police have registered the case against the unidentified rapist under sections 376 and 377/B of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the father of the victim but couldn’t hunt down the rapist till the filing of this report.

Hazar Gul, an Afghan national, hailing from Jalalabad, lodged a complaint with the Shahzad Town, saying that he was living in Mohallah Diptian, located near Mariam Masjid with his family for a couple of months.

“I was present at my house along with my elder brother when we heard some noises from the street, we rushed out of the house and witnessed a young man running towards us, consequently, without knowing the reason for his escape, we both tried to intercept him but he succeeded to let loose from our clutches and ran off from our custody,” the complainant narrating his story, said.

However, he said, “We moved towards the place where people of the street were gathered and saw my minor daughter crying.”

Upon query, the minor victim told him the tale of the brutal attack on her, saying she was playing near her house when she was dragged by the rapist into an under-construction house and raped forcibly.

The DPO (Rural) has taken up the case and asked the Shahzad Town police to take the case as a challenge and use all their efforts to make headway to arrest the rapist, the police sources said.

The SP has constituted teams and sent them to different locations to get a clue about the rapist.

The sources added that the police have rounded up a few suspects for investigation, claiming that the police teams would make headway to the criminal and hunt him down within the next 24 hours.