Our traditional educational systems

The News, http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=149920

Monday, December 01, 2008

By Asad Zaman

In Orientalism, one of the most significant and influential books of the twentieth century, Edward Said describes how the European project of colonising the rest of the world distorted all academic knowledge produced about the East (the Orient). The necessity of justifying and providing a moral basis for the loot and plunder of Asia, Africa and the Americas led to the invention of a large number of western theories which made it impossible to achieve an objective understanding of the East. Imperialism and exploitation was cloaked under the noble objective of the White Man’s burden to spread the benefits of his civilisation to the rest of the world. The extremely cruel treatment of blacks (leading to an estimated 10 million slaves taken out and about a 100 million killed in the process, over the period of European colonisation of Africa), was justified by the invention of racism: according to a US court ruling Negroes were “”beings of an inferior order … they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect.”

The superiority complex of the west described in Orientalism has a natural counterpart in the inferiority complex in the East. The colonial educational system was designed by Macaulay, who expressed his extreme contempt for our heritage in his famous Minute on Indian education: “(no one) could deny that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia.” European superiority becomes an article of faith to those trained to be “Indian in colour, but English in taste” and criticisms such as the present one invoke an irritated defence combined with the platitude that if Europeans are bad, we and our ancestors are even worse.

This essay was motivated by a recent article in Dawn contending that “public education began in our subcontinent with the advent of British rule. Before that, no such system existed.” This perpetuates the European myth that we were all ignorant savages and barbarians before the white man came to educate and civilise us. The facts are so breathtakingly at variance with this picture that they will come as a shock to the average reader.

The educational system of India was one of the wonders of the world and people from many lands came to India in search of knowledge and wisdom. A contemporary account from pre-British India states that while excellent scholars are present everywhere in India, Delhi can be especially proud of the vast assortment of world-class experts in every field of knowledge as well as trade and craft. Among both Muslims and Hindus it was a religious duty to support scholars and to free them from worldly worries so they could concentrate on the acquisition of knowledge.

Scholars could and did travel the country in search of knowledge without financial constraints, since they could count on hospitality wherever they went. Private and public libraries galore, books, copyists, authors, public debates, intellectual competitions of many types, testify to a widespread culture of learning, where even courtesans boasted of literary accomplishments.

This culture survived into the early periods of colonial rule: Dalrymple writes that “He (the Muslim man) who holds an office worth twenty rupees a month commonly gives his sons an education equal to that of a prime minister. … After seven years of study, the young Muhammadan … (is nearly the equal of) … a young man raw from Oxford. “ He said research on madrasas in early colonial British India showed that the syllabus employed at the Nizamia Madrasa, which served as a model for madrassas elsewhere, represented a blend of revealed sciences, including the Quran, the hadith, fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and tafsir (Quranic commentary), on the one hand, and the “ ’aqli ‘ulum (rational sciences), including Arabic language, grammar, logic, rhetoric, philosophy, astronomy, medicine, physics and mathematics, on the other.”

Our educational systems were destroyed by deliberate British policy, which seized numerous endowments (Awqaf) set up for educational purposes, and denied jobs to all but those trained in the newly set up British educational systems. The destruction was so thorough that not only the educational institutions but the cultural traditions and even the memory of these institutions was lost:

Wae nakami, mata-e-karvan jata raha, Karvan kay dil say ehsas-e-zian jata raha. (Iqbal)

The British educational system was explicitly designed to create intermediaries between the ruling class and the public; in effect, a method of producing bureaucrats and clerks, not scholars. The greatest loss from the introduction of this system has been the transformation of the concept of education as a sacred duty which leads to spiritual transformation and enlightenment, to education as means of acquiring a job.

This problem can only be fixed by reverting to our traditions. In her book The Making of the Modern University: Intellectual Transformation and the Marginalisation of Morality, Harvard Professor Julie Reuben has described how universities in the USA abandoned their mission to build character and develop morals, opting for a purely technical education. It was not illiterate savages, but graduates of the finest educational systems of the West who designed the gas chambers used to burn millions of innocent men, women and children in Germany. David Halberstam, in his book The Brightest and the Best, has documented how graduates of Yale and Harvard ran the Vietnam War on the pattern of an efficient business, with callous disregard for human suffering: more than one million civilians died as “collateral damage” in the mass bombings and napalming, and atrocities and massacres were common. PhD physicists who developed the nuclear bomb denied any responsibility for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Leading biologists work for salaries to develop non-fertile varieties of genetically engineered high-yield grains so that multinationals can profit from the hunger of humanity. The value of technical expertise is lost if the expert will stuff his pockets at the expense of the public at every opportunity. There is substantial evidence to show that the greed of highly educated financial wizards is responsible for the current global financial crisis. There is a vital need to relearn and revive our heritage in education, which emphasised character, integrity, honesty and morality in addition to the development of competence in specialized subjects.

The writer teaches economics at the International Islamic University of Islamabad.

Email: asadzaman@alum.mit.edu

Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Conference on Dec 22

From: Associated Press of Pakistan, http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61939&Itemid=2

ISLAMABAD, Dec 14 (APP): Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Conference will commence on December 22 in which ambassadors of thirteen countries will read condolence messages about Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto sent by heads of the states.

This was told in the meeting of the Central Executive of the Archeological and Historical Association of Pakistan held here under the Chairmanship of Dr Ghazanfar Mehdi, said a news release issued here.

The conference will be jointly organized by the Archeological and Historical Association of Pakistan (AHAP) and International Islamic University.

The theme of the conference will be “Benazir Bhutto as a great champion of global peace, protector of democracy and defender of human rights”

Professor Dr Riaz Ahmad Secretary General AHAP told following tradition of Islamabad, we have arranged reference in the memory of the noted personality in which intellectuals highlight the contribution of the deceased.

He said that Professor Anwar Hussain Siddiqui, President IIUI who is the chairman of the reception committee of the international conference and its management committee are taking keen interest for the success of this historic conference. He said a meeting of preparatory committee of the conference will be held at Islamic University in which the programme of the conference will be finalized.

Professor Anwar Siddiqui, President IIU will chair the meeting. The proceedings of the conference will be published in the form of book.

IIUI teachers observe strike

The News, Tuesday, December 02, 2008By Our correspondent

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=150184

Islamabad: A token strike was observed by the faculty members of International Islamic University against the financial and administrative mismanagement of the higher authorities of the university.

The university teachers and heads of various departments gathered in front of the main block of the university to register their protest and demanded the twenty percent increase in their salaries as promised by the government in the last fiscal budget. All of the teachers were wearing black bands around their arms.

Addressing the gathering of teachers, the President of Academic Staff Association (ASA) of the university, pressed the university authorities to meet the legitimate demands of the teachers’ community. The President of ASA said that the additional appointments of different individuals on lucrative posts were badly affecting the financial health of the university.

This protest was the first phase of the series of protests chalked out by the Association in consultation with entire academic staff a couple of days ago, told one of the ASA members. He added that in the next phase the teachers’ community had planned to hold press conferences and protests if their demands were not met.

It is pertinent to mention that almost all the universities in public as well as private sector have given a 20% increase in the salaries of their employees except IIUI, which claims to bear international character and Islamic following.

We want to hear from you!

As an IIUI faculty member and academician, have you ever heard about the meetings of university’s Board of Governors (BoG), Academic Council, Deans and Directors Committee, Board of Studies, IIUI Purchase & Procurement Committee etc.? Any chance, though accidentally, to go through the minutes and decisions of such meetings? Have you ever considered that who represents you in these meetings about certain very crucial issues of academic nature and career path? Who decides that who would be your representative and how do some handpicked representatives perform on these forums? Have they ever reported back to their constituents to solicit feedback and response formulation? Have you ever been asked at IIUI to chose your representative for various committees’ membership?

If you are absolutely shocked with these questions and finding yourself a “missing person” in the discourse then come along and share your thoughts about these issues with us for our upcoming post on this topic. Please send your thoughts to: iiuiblog@gmail.com

Renowned scholar, eminent educationist Dr. Khalid Alvi passes away

ISLAMABAD: http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=136375

Renowned scholar and eminent educationist Dr. Khalid Alvi died this evening due to heart failure. He was 68 years old.

Dr. Khalid Alvi was PhD from University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He taught forty years in various institutions. He had served as Director General Dawah Academy-IIUI, Islamabad, Director of Islamic studies at Birmingham University and Director of Sheikh Zayed Islamic center-Lahore.

He had more than twenty books in English, Arabic and Urdu to his credit. Presently he was serving as Dean of Arts and Humanities in WISH (Women’s Institute of Science and Humanities) Islamabad. He is survived by a wife and a son.

Prayers for the departed soul will be offered in Faisal Mosque Islamabad after Zuhr prayers. Maulana Abdul Jabbar Shakir will lead the prayers. He will be buried in the graveyard of the Punjab University after Isha prayers. Qazi Hussain Ahmad Ameer -e-Jam at -e-Islami will lead the prayers in Lahore.

Not just Europe

Author: Dr. Asad Zaman, Professor, International Institute of Islamic Economics-IIUI,

Email: asadzaman@alum.mit.edu

The article below has appeared in The News (http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=142730)

Friday, October 24, 2008

Future historians writing on the basis of official US documents would be convinced that the USA selflessly invaded Iraq to bring benefits of democracy and civilisation to a barbarian nation, and to protect the entire world from weapons of mass destruction possessed by a mad dictator. They would not pick any clue in these documents to the fact that the war destroyed the lives of millions of Iraqis so that the USA could control their oil.

For the past few centuries, people of European origin have been telling us about the wonderful effects of the modernisation of Europe. The other side of the story is not well known. The self-centred and self-glorifying point of view of Europeans, which completely disregards the problems and difficulties of modernisation, is implicitly absorbed by anyone who consumes their literary, cinematic or other intellectual or social products – a category to which virtually every reader of this column belongs.

Earlier, Henri Pirenne showed how the attempt to picture themselves at the centre stage of history at all times has led Europeans to a substantially distorted understanding of world civilisations, their close interrelationships, dependency and balances, and their contributions to weaving the fabric of global history and society. Many recent books show how Eurocentric bias has led the West to claim the achievements of other cultures in the invention of (notably) democracy, universities, capitalism, individualism and science. Efforts of such scholars have led to the understanding that much of our common stock of wisdom about human beings and their history in the past few centuries is "Eurocentric."

Deep and valuable insights about ourselves emerge when we try to learn about the achievements of other cultures, and also the failures of Europe, which are all suppressed in European writings.

One of the central themes of the European view of the world is the idea that the whole world was in darkness and ignorance, and the dawn of the age of reason first occurred in Europe. The term "Age of Enlightenment" was used by 18th century European writers, who were "convinced that they were emerging from centuries of darkness and ignorance into a new age enlightened by reason, science, and respect for humanity. The period is also often referred to as the Age of Reason." This led to the "White Man's Burden" to take his civilisation and powers of reasoning to ignorant people living in darkness all over the world. This picture of world history, which ignores the presence of many ancient and advanced civilisations, is embedded deeply into Western intellectual traditions.

All non-Europeans who acquire a Western education automatically imbibe this story, which results in an exaggerated respect for Western traditions and an inferiority complex about one's allegedly savage and primitive ancestors.

In fact, the story of the Western transition to a secular system of politics and thought is not, as we are told, a story of the triumph of reason over superstition. The emergence of secular thought in the West was a consequence of the moral bankruptcy of the upper echelon of the Catholic Church. In The March of Folly, by Barbara Tuchman, the crisis caused by the openly flaunted moral corruption of a sequence of Popes (which involved living extremely luxuriously, legitimising bastard progeny, selling pardons for sins to raise money for supporting lavish lifestyles, etc.) has been termed "the most momentous event in the history of Europe." Tuchman has documented how this directly led to the rise of the Protestants, who attempted to preserve their faith while breaking from the corrupt Catholic Church. The Protestants split into several different Christian sects and factions, which fought among themselves as well as with the Catholics. The intolerance of these sects for each other, and battles, carnage, oppression and injustice, all carried out in the name of Christianity, convinced Europeans that religion could not serve as a basis for ordering a society.

Even religious leaders realised that social harmony required principles which could be agreed to by all members of the society without invoking controversial and conflicting religious principles. Secular thought developed due to the lack of character among religious leaders of Europe, and aimed at development of higher character by using reason and factual knowledge instead of religion. The Enlightenment thinkers hoped to create a more humane and just society which was free from poverty, wars and social evils of all kinds.

Have the hopes of the enlightenment thinkers been borne out by subsequent history? Religion provided the basis for morality, which has gradually become weaker and weaker in Europe. The consequences of this weaking of moral forces in the Western civilisation have been noted by many authors, and are visible for all to see.

For example, Gertrude Himmelfarb, in her book The De-moralisation of Society: From Victorian Virtues to Modern Values, has documented the increase of violent crimes and illegitimate childbirth as a consequence of the decline of Victorian concepts of morality in England. The resulting breakdown of the family in Europe and the USA has led to an epidemic of social disorder. The Social Justice Foundation in England has documented how the children of single parents, now the majority of all European children, are likely to have poor outcomes in terms of education, mental health, drug abuse and criminal offending.

Julie Reuben, in her book The Making of the Modern University: Intellectual Transformation and the Marginalisation of Morality, shows how a university education was aimed at developing character in students up until early twentieth century. However, this mission was abandoned by modern universities in favour of providing a purely technical education, without any spiritual or moral guidance. The results have been disastrous as students learn how to build bombs, but nothing about ethics of killing. About the Nazi gas chambers used to burn millions of innocent men, women and children, Holocaust scholar Franklin Littel writes that "the credibility crisis of the modern university arises from the fact that the death camps were not planned and built by … illiterates, ignorant savages, but were by-products of one of the best university systems in the world. In The Brightest and the Best, David Halberstam has documented how graduates of the best universities ran the Vietnam War on the pattern of an efficient business, with callous disregard for human suffering. Much of Vietnam became, in essence, a free-fire zone -- more than one million civilians died as "collateral damage" in the mass bombings and napalming -- and atrocities and massacres were common. Villages were torched and destroyed in order to "save" them, in the famous words of a US major. Then defence secretary Robert McNamara now repents his role in that slaughter, and urges America's leaders not to repeat a similar history in Iraq.

With the widespread breakdown of family values, and the abandonment of the moral mission by universities, children growing up in Europe and the USA have no place to learn ethics and morality. In single-parent families, now the majority, children do not know their fathers, and do not experience the warmth and love of their working mothers. In addition, Hollywood and TV promote highly immoral lifestyles; for example, people who murder innocent civilians for money are portrayed as normal, decent, loving and kind human beings in Mr and Mrs Smith and many other similar movies. This has resulted in monstrosities such as the public statement in a CBS "Nightline" TV interview by former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright that it was acceptable to kill half-a-million Iraqi children to achieve objectives of US policy. She has a vastly better public relations team than Genghis Khan and Hitler, whose names have been blackened forever in history for far lesser deeds.

Many of our leaders and modernised elites insist on blind imitation of the West as the only route to progress. For example, ministries were established to teach European dancing, music and theatre to the Turkish people, and similar efforts are under way all over the Islamic world. The point of this article is to argue that we must be discriminating. Certainly we must learn from the West, but we need to distinguish between their failures and success, and avoid the former while adopting means to acquire the latter.

The writer teaches economics at the International Islamic University of Islamabad. Email: asadzaman @alum.mit.edu

Islamic Studies Published

The latest issue of Islamic Studies, a research journal of Islamic Research Institute-IIUI, is now published.

Islamic Studies, Volume No 47, Number 1, Spring 1428–1429/2008

Contents:

1. The Notions of Dar al-harb and Dar al-Islam in Islamic Jurisprudence with Special Reference to the Hanafi School
MUHAMMAD MUSHTAQ AHMAD

2. IImages of Religious Others in Textbooks of Religious Education for the Public Primary Schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina
AID SMAJIĆ

3. Islam in Brunei Darussalam: Negotiating Islamic Revivalism and Religious Radicalism
IIK ARIFIN MANSURNOOR

Documents

Civil and Religious Law in England: A Religious Perspective

Book Reviews

Omid Safi. The Politics of Knowledge in Premodern Islam: Negotiating Ideology and Religious Identity
ARSHAD ZAMAN

Caryle Murphy. Passion For Islam: Shaping the Modern Middle East: The Egyptian Experience
IRFAN MOEEN KHAN

Nahid Kabir. Muslims in Australia: Immigration, Race Relations and Cultural History
SAMINA YASMEEN

Saba Mahmood. Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject
JUNAID S. AHMAD

Talal Asad. On Suicide Bombing
SADIA MAHMOOD

Absracts:

1. The Notions of Daral-Harb and Dar al-Islam in Islamic Jurisprudence with Special Reference to the Hanafi School
MUHAMMAD MUSHTAQ AHMAD

The article argues that the bifurcation of the world into two domains—Dar al-Isl┐m and D┐r al-╓arb—is essentially an affirmation of the principle of territorial jurisdiction. This principle was enunciated with a high degree of clarity and its implications were worked out with rigour and consistency by the Muslim jurists, especially those of the ╓anaf┘ school. Among the reasons that have mainly led to confusion and misgiving on the question are:

The use of the term D┐r al-╓arb gave rise to the impression that hostility should inform the relations between D┐r al-Isl┐m and all other entities.

The firmness shown by the Prophet (peace be on him) during the last years of his life to root out the forces actively inimical to Islam and establish a secure foothold for Islam in the Arabian peninsula has at times been detached from its space-time context and considered to be the norm for the Muslims in their relationship with all non-Muslim entities.

The paper argues that seventh century Arabia was a very special case and Muslim jurists, especially ╓anaf┘ jurists, consider it sui generis which may not be extended beyond its space-time context. The general principle guiding Muslims in their relationship with non-Muslim entities remains that the Muslims may engage in fighting against the non-Muslims who are belligerent towards them, rather than against non-Muslims qua non-Muslims.


2. Images of Religious Others in Textbooks of Religious Education for the Public Primary Schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina
AID SMAJIĆ

The course of Religious Education and its respective textbooks for pupils of public primary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina could certainly make a considerable contribution to rebuilding mutual trust between Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims — the three major religious traditions of the country in the post-war period. Obviously, the extent of success in this regard will largely depend on how the Religious Education literature portrays the members of other ethno-religious communities in the country. Our analysis has shown that the greatest space for religious others is allocated in the textbooks of Catholic Religious Education. In general, textbooks of all traditional religious communities in the country tend to avoid direct negative evaluation of religious others, preferring rather to address their teachings and history of mutual encounter in a respectful manner. Exceptions, however, do exist and they are often concerned with how confessions and religious orientations other than traditional Catholic, Orthodox and Islamic are portrayed. Similarly, history and historical categories remain to be the main factors vitiating the portrayal of Muslims in Catholic and — especially — Orthodox textbooks. Accordingly, history textbooks might prove to be the main battle field in the future textbook revisions.

3. Islam in Brunei Darussalam: Negotiating Islamic Revivalism and Religious Radicalism
IIK ARIFIN MANSURNOOR

Bruneians have shown great earnestness in their adherence to Islam. Religious life in Brunei, however, is characterised by a marked degree of peace and harmony which is indicated by the absence of schismatic tensions.

Moreover, the Bruneians’ allegiance to Islam did not problematise their encounter with the religious others.This paper attempts to study the phenomenon and seeks to explain it. While its fuller explanation requires a multi-dimensional analysis, the paper focuses on a careful examination of the religio-ideological factor and arrives at the conclusion that the characteristic Islamic orientation in Brunei—its inclusive approach, its accent on moderation, its ability to incorporate change without creating social convulsion, etc.—is largely because of the Bruneians’ adherence to a well-established traditional Islamic school in which they are firmly rooted.

Strategizing Strategic Plan

The good news of the week is about strategic thinking and strategic planning at IIUI. For those who know about the functions, procedures and decision making processes of IIUI, this is a breaking news and to be candid, somewhat difficult to digest as well! In IIUI everything is tactical and adhoc and we hardly see "policies" determining "actions" of administration and faculty. Though strategic planning is increasingly becoming a buzz word in IIUI's day to day business life but hardly anyone knows about the scope and implications of strategic planning. We have read about the latest movement in this regard and this time a new team is leading this process. Previously, we have seen many unsuccessful attempts towards building a long term strategic vision of IIUI and the last initiative was during Dr. Ghazi's tenure when Mr. Athar Zaidi was entrusted with this task and he was trying to fix faculty members through his innovative means, of course with the support of some faculty members too! Even before that another imported talent in the university (Dr. S M Hasan) was responsible for this task but we could not see any outcome.

By its design and structure, the latest attempt to build a strategic vision and planning for IIUI looks a continuation of earlier failed attempts. We have no reasons to cast doubts about the capabilities and skills of the team which is now leading this process. However, we'll here refer back to our consistent argument on this blog and that's about institutional character and institutional memories. Strategic planning is not merely a technical task which some technocrats can perform in isolation without getting fully rooted in the culture and traditions of an institution. IIUI has a history and its future is closely linked with its institutional character and capabilities. These insights cannot be simply communicated to a group of short term contractual appointees who are responsible for this crucial task. They can produce an excellent strategic vision for IIUI by all means but what next? Where are our earlier 10 years, 15 years and long term plans developed over the periods? Are we following those plans when we go for massive expansion of teaching programs and faculties and administration? Where do a medical college and 500 bed teaching hospital fit in those plans which our president is very keen to start? Of course nowhere! And the reason is simple. Those programs were lacking institutional support and could not be ultimately stored in institutional memory. We have every reason to believe that the latest attempt would also face the same consequences unless both the process and contents are going to be different this time.

By process we mean nothing but a true spirit of consultation across the board. But this consultation should not be formal and controlled. Our standard consultation practice is confined to a vertical communication in the form of command of high administration. We distribute forms and ask for immediate feedback and that's our consultation. We know that it does not happen like this. It should be rather an enabling process. If you are communicating in the same language and jargon with Usuluddin/Arabic/Shariah and Computer Sciences and Engineering then your methodology is flawed. In a system where many people cannot simply appreciate difference between strategic and tactical matters, if you are taking them for granted then you are wrong.

In terms of contents, there are number of serious issues which we should decide at IIUI before adopting a strategic vision. There are all sorts of issues such as:

• Are we still comfortable with our "international" and "Islamic" outlook or we should move away from optics to content. We are not putting any agenda on the table here but there are issues around and we should honestly and candidly consider them.


• What is our understanding about IIUI as a university and educational institution? Is it going to be just another mainstream educational institution like many others in Pakistan or we want to be approached differently given our character preserved in governing statute. This question is important to consider because there is a clear dichotomy between what we "did" and what we are "doing". In other words there is a historical construction of institutional character and then there is a "new" university which is expanding massively in several areas without considering the crucial questions of specialization and scope. We can see a clear dissent and sense of dissatisfaction in the campus about issues related to this problem. If we want to be just another university then the matters such as co-education, new programs and comparative advantage would be dealt altogether in a different way. But, if we are still an institution within the parameters of our governing law and earlier traditions then we need to seriously reconsider our expansion polices, new programs and future dimensions.

If we are not ready to address these issues through strategic planning then the whole process is futile. Having ten more departments, fifty MoUs, a fleet of 200 buses, spacious car parking areas, a few more blocks and soaring students' population, are not strategic matters by any definition. If we are true in our intentions then let's talk about real the issues.

Change in HEC

Quantum note

By Dr Muzaffar Iqbal

The News, Friday, October 24, 2008, http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=142731

The resignation of Dr Ataur Rehman from the Higher Education Commission is like putting a bandage on a broken bone. Dr Rehman's removal does little to address the fiasco created by Gen Pervez Musharraf, who had himself bypassed all laws of the land to become chief executive of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Who knows how the General decided to establish the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in September 2002 through his Ordinance (No. LIII), but we all know that Dr Rehman became the blue-eyed boy of the general. This can be judged from the fact that often the commission seemed to enjoy authority which was greater than even that of the ministry of education.

Inherent in the very establishment of the HEC were all the problems of superstructures and super-performers: such institutions assume that the slow, organic process of institutional development in the country has no meaning whatsoever and that one man (or woman) has all the wisdom it needs to work wonders. A superstructure is also established to bypass and divert resources from existing governing bodies of the state; it creates outrageous benefits for some, it treats the employees of the existing institutions as second-class citizens, and it creates frustration and despair in the hearts and minds of those who cannot board the new boat. All of these ills were born with the HEC.

Nothing speaks more than facts, hence if one were to objectively see the wonders worked by the HEC chairman in six years, all one has to do is look at the state of higher education before and after the commission's inception. If one wants to actually see where the missing billions went, one only has to get the actual amount spent on foreign tours from the accounts of the HEC. But such objective analysis of the functioning of the commission is unlikely to happen because we live in a culture where covering up each other's tracks is a norm, but one must hope that there is some accountability in this case because we are talking about huge sums (an amount of Rs26 billion has been quoted in this newspaper, in fact).

The issue, however, is not merely one man's performance, or the lack of it. The real issue is the mindset that created the HEC and gave its chairman draconian powers to do what he wished. Behind these issues is the issue of criteria of judging. In his rejoinder to Dr A Q Khan's comments on his years at the HEC, Dr Rehman has listed his achievements and supported them with reports from USAID report, the British magazine Nature, the World Bank, the British Council, and other foreign organisations. That, in itself, is indicative of a colonial mindset: the stamp of approval is coming from the white man.

As someone who was partly instrumental in Dr Ataur Rehman's coming to Islamabad's power circuit in 1996 (for details see The News, April 4, 2008), and who knows firsthand how the good doctor influenced the young section editor (of Pakistani origin) at Nature through his adviser, Anwar Nasim, I can say with the full force of truth that that article, as well as other stamps of approval, have little meaning. All one has to do is invite a foreigner to Pakistan and charm him or her. It takes little effort if one is already working for an agenda that foreigners like. In fact, the more praise one hears of a programme or a person from the mouth of those who want to see Pakistan transformed in their own image, the more doubtful one becomes of the programme and the person.

Thus, beyond the ambiguous reports of financial mismanagement, we must look at some glaring facts: (i) Dr Rehman worked for the same "vision" of Pakistan that Gen Musharraf: a Pakistan that supports the American agenda of a radical transformation of our society from its Islamic roots towards a modern, westernised society. (ii) Dr Rehman loved to promote himself. The day he arrived at Comstech he opened his briefcase and asked the secretary to fax pages of a document called "Achievements of Dr Attaur Rehman" to 56 Muslim states. On that day, he also instructed the driver to put a flag on his car. (The flag obsession is also mentioned by Dr A Q Khan in his article.) (iii) There is a tendency of overstating, glamorising so-called achievements: I have a news clip in my files from Dawn of April 8, 1998, which quotes the coordinator general of Comstech as saying at a meeting that efforts had been initiated to raise "$5 billion in the next three years for fostering research in science and technology."

The fact that these funds did not materialize is not the point apparently because what he said was obviously good for publicity. (iv) There is truth in the argument that he acquired the position of coordinator-general of Comstech in a manner that was not entirely ethical given that he was part of the selection committee established by President Farooq Leghari on May 31, 1996. I know this because I had suggested his name to the president and because I was the convener of that committee. (v) Dr Rehman has held on to that position for over 12 years now and one only has to inquire what became of the intention to raise five billion dollars.The fact is that Dr Rehman shows no understanding of the ground realities of Pakistanis society. This lack of understanding of the social implications of technology is part of a bigger problem of lack of any grounding in the social and human sciences as well as a near-total unfamiliarity with the Islamic intellectual tradition.

(To be concluded)

The writer is a freelance columnist. Email: quantumnotes@gmail.com

Workshop on "Strategic Planning" at IIUI

IIUI to enhance cooperation with international Organizations.
From: http://www.iiu.edu.pk/News/october_08.html#lci

The Strategic planning cell (SPC) of the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) organized a workshop about future vision of the university which was attended by the University Rector, Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, President Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqui, Vice president Dr. Khalifa Hassan, Deans, Directors, and the chairpersons of various faculties and departments. Dr. Abdul Majeed, Director SPC and Dr. Ahmed S Syed, Member SPC made presentations on strategic planning at IIUI.

The presentations were focused on the concept of strategic planning in the universities, role and need of SPC at IIUI and future requirements of the university. Describing the scope and sphere of activities of SPC, the participants of the workshop were also briefed on the work done so far by SPC since its inception in May, 2008. This included the work done on the university's mega funding proposal (taking care of existing and futuristic requirements of university's academic needs for next 5 years), newly established international linkages with Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, MIMOS, Malaysia, CERN, and US Universities (State University of New York, Michigan State University, Stanford University and Kent State University). The long-term vision of IIUI and other related projects such as university's technology park and branch-out campus were also discussed in the workshop.

The presentations were followed by an open house session, where the participants shared their thoughts, comments and observations. The worthy president, Dr. Anwar Hussain Siddiqui also shared his thoughts and comments on the very concept of strategic planning in the universities. He further advised the SPC team to continue working on the projects with similar pace, and in coordination with other planning related segments of the university.

The Rector, Dr. Manzoor Ahmed appreciated the work done by SPC and congratulated the team on the commendable performance. The Rector also urged the faculty to come forward with their research proposals and join hands with SPC which would remain as a permanent feature of the university, and act as focal point to various funding and planning agencies within the country and worldwide.

Pakistan's science reformer steps down

By A. A. Khan
20 October 2008, From: http://www.scidev.net/en/south-asia/news/pakistan-s-science-reformer-steps-down.html

[ISLAMABAD] Atta-ur-Rahman resigned as chairman of Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC) last week (9 October), apparently over a lack of funding for science and education.

The scientist is credited with reforming the country's science and technology (S&T) sector, and academics see his resignation as a serious threat to the continuity of more than 400 projects he put in place at the HEC.

Atta-ur-Rahman was appointed as HEC chairman in 2002 and brought the higher education budget from 400 million Pakistani rupees (around US$4.9 million) in 2002 to around US$220 million now.

Atta-ur-Rahman exercised his maximum influence in the government of Pervez Musharraf, who resigned in August this year. He was minister for science and technology from 2000–2002, during which time he secured massive increases in S&T spending. He also secured around US$151 million in a recent budget for S&T university research.

Before resigning, Atta-ur-Rahman had openly voiced concerns over cuts to already-approved funds for scientific research projects, including setting up international S&T universities.

The government gave the HEC only US$32 million of US$56 million allocated for 284 approved projects in the first quarter of this financial year. Two hundred and fifty projects could be stopped due to lack of funds, and the HEC has formally asked all universities to defer their development projects, according to an HEC document.

The vice chancellors and rectors of the leading public sector universities expressed grave concern over the budget cuts at a meeting held in July in Islamabad, and decided to take the matter to the prime minister. Atta-ur-Rahman, presiding the meeting, advised them to generate their own resources instead of solely relying on government grants.

The coalition government, headed by the Pakistan People's Party, which came to power after the February 2008 election, has yet to announce any S&T policies, with the economy and law and order being its top priorities.

The Nation newspaper has reported that Atta was forced to resign under mounting pressure from the new government.

Atta-ur-Rahman says his resignation is for personal reasons, and declined to comment further, but confirmed to SciDev.Net that the HEC is undergoing financial cutbacks.

"It is an unbearable loss for science and higher education in the country. Science and technology does not appear to be on the government's agenda as there is no science minister in the cabinet," Razina Alam Khan, chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Science, Technology and Education told SciDev.Net.

"It would be premature to term his resignation good or bad for science and education in the country. It depends on what kind of person we get in his place," says Pervez Hoodbhoy, a physicist and a prominent critic of Atta. He views his resignation as linked to the change in political regime.

The government has yet not appointed Atta-ur-Rahman's replacement.

IIUI to open 500-bed hospital

ISLAMABAD -
The Nation, http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Islamabad/12-Oct-2008/IIUI-to-open-500bed-hospital

A six members Moroccan Delegation under the Pak-Morocco joint ministerial Programme visited the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) here on Saturday.

The delegation was headed by Abdul Wahed Bendoud, Director of traditional Education, Naeer Bousba, Head of the Division of Cooperation and Communication, Abdellah Irid, Head of the Division of Management of Mosques Directorates, Ciaay Abdel Kaber, Head of the Division of Agriculture Affairs in the Religious Endowments Directorate, Moyiddhn Dadr, Incharge of Studies in the General Secretariat and Atif Ahmed of the Civil Secretariat of Morocco.

Speaking on the occasion, the President IIUI Dr Anwar Hussain Siddiqui, and Dr Khalifa Hassan, Vice President IIUI informed the delegation about the 28-year academic march of IIUI.

They said that the University was established to cope with modern day challenges by providing both traditional as well as contemporary education in all fields.

They informed that the university was planning to open its own medical college soon with 500-bed hospital.The Moroccan delegation expressed its happiness over IIUI’s progress and termed it as proud for Moroccan people as well as the whole Muslim world.

They offered IIUI academic cooperation from Moroccan universities and institutions. The delegation also took a round of the Central library of IIUI, Islamic Research Institute library, Women campus and Faculty of Management sciences. Dr. Muhammad Zia ul Haq of the Faculty of Shariah and Law of IIUI presented a documentary on the occasion.

Dr Atta-ur Rehman resigns as HEC Chairman

ISLAMABAD, Oct 9 (APP):

From: Associate Press of Pakistan

Dr Atta-ur Rehman Thursday resigned from the offices of Chairman Higher Education Commission. The spokesperson of the HEC also confirmed his resignation and said that no one has yet been appointed in his place.

Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, TI, SI HI, NI, is a leading scientist and scholar in the field of organic chemistry with over 700 publications in the field of his expertise.

He has also the credit to revive the higher education system and research activities in Pakistan.
At present, Dr Atta-ur Rehman holds different positions including Director of H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry at Karachi University, Coordinator General of COMSTECH and Chairman, Higher Education Commission with the status of federal minister.

He had been conferred on different awards in recognition of his eminent contributions in the field of Organic Chemistry including Nishan-e-Imtiaz (2002), Hilal-e-Imtiaz (1998), Sitara-e-Imtiaz (1991) and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (1983).

Besides this, he also achieved Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria, Honorary Doctor of Education honoris causa (Coventry University,UK) (2007), ISESCO Prize (2001), ECO Prize (2000), First Muslim scientist to receive the UNESCO Science Prize (1999), Federation of Asian Chemical Societies Award, Hiroshima, Japan (1997), First Prize at the 6th Kharazmi Festival in Iran (1993), The Islamic Organization Prize by Government of Kuwait (1988) and Honorary Doctorate of Science (Sc.D) from University of Cambridge (1987).

CREEPING CRISIS FOR MUSLIMS; DIAGNOSIS & REMEDIES

LEARNING EYE Academic Staff Association International Islamic University is holding a talk/discussion on:

CREEPING CRISIS FOR MUSLIMS; DIAGNOSIS & REMEDIES
The talk will be delivered by Dr. Manzoor Ahmad, Rector IIUI

There is no second opinion that Muslims, for the last few centuries, are in crisis which encompasses intellectual, social, economic & religious spheres to the extent that it seems that the whole fabric of the Muslim entity is at stake. Every passing day begets new & unprecedented addition to the existing state of affairs.

Since the inception of the crisis, Muslim mind is endeavoring to react, analyze, adjust, adopt, adapt or synchronize itself with the off-shoots of this crisis. Of these endeavors, we see that varied & diversified approaches are in vogue e.g. Some seek refuge in the glories of the past suggesting that either this crisis does not prevail or it will disappear automatically with the passage of time, a few others try to provide tailor made solutions, still others put emphasis on the dire need of internal reformation.

The questions that arise from the proposed theme are not only numerous in number but they are pinching too; what are the causes of this crisis? Why Muslims have been unable to address it properly? Are our efforts limited to the symptoms? Does our blaming & complaining attitude yield results? What do Muslim lack in the presence of so many remedies? Have we been unable to grasp the modern sensibilities? Or have we been unable to comprehend Islam in the contemporary context? Why our efforts have been a failure or even counterproductive?

You are requested to contribute in this Talk/discussion session with the best you have; be it a precise question, an opinion, a reading or a thought process. We are ‘Learning Eye’ committed & open to all that “which is for the good of mankind (& hence) remains on earth” (Quran: 13/17)

The lingua franca of the talk/discussion would be either English or Urdu or both.

The schedule of the program is as followed:

Day: Saturday,
Date: 11th October 2008
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Venue: Seminar Room, Central Library IIU H-10 Sector Islamabad

For more information please contact:

Inam ul Haq Ghazi
Tel. 051-9019607
Email: ighazi@iiu.edu.pk

Islamic Economics: An Alternative Perspective-III

We have earlier posted here the link of articles which are published in Monthly "Al-Shariah" Gujranwala. The last article in the series is published this month and we are sharing its link again with an aim to initiate a debate on such topics which are core areas of specialization of International Islamic University. We hope that our readers will get back with their comments and views.

Here is the link:

http://www.alsharia.org/articles/monthly_alsharia/2008/Oct08/islamiMuashiat_zahidSiddique.html

Eid Greetings

The Blog Team would like to extend heart-felt felicitations to IIUI Blog visitors on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. We hope that you will keep visiting the blog in future as well and would wish some of you could give us some feed-back about the blog (For feed-back, please send your e-mails to iiuiblog@gmail.com).

We request all of you to pray for the departed soul of Professor Mirza Muhammad Arshad, one of the colleagues who passed away on September 29, 2008. May his soul rest in peace! Amen.

Professor Arshad Mirza Passed Away!

Dr. Rahmat Illahi has shared the following sad news:

"Asalam-o-Alaikum

I regret to inform you that Prof. M. Arshad Mirza has died today morning. Inalilahe Waina alaihe rajehoon. May his soul peace in rest.

I really appreciate your efforts and cooperation in this regard.
with highest regards

Rahmt Ellahi"

Appeal for Professor. Arshad Mirza

We have received following message from one reader:

"Professor Arshad Mirza of the Economics Department is suffering from lungs disease and is in deteriorating conditions in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad. To save his life, he must undergo lungs transplantation. This facility is not available in Pakistan and for travelling abroad and have treatment, he needs to have Pak Rupees 50,0000 which are beyond his capacity. Funds are being raised to help Prof. Mirza. Amounts can be deposited directly to his account no. 184400601571101 in the Habib bank, International Islamic University. You can also contact Dr. Rahmat Ilahi chairman, Dept. of mathematics and statistics at phone no. 0519258037 or 0519019510.

Jazakumullah"

1 comments:

Adnan said...

Please note below the corrections in blog details: Estimated amount required: Rs 5 million (50,00000) Account Name: Muhammad Arshad Mirza Account Number: 18440060157101

Bank: Habib Bank Limited, International Islamic University, Islamabad

Please note that the above estimate is for a possible lungs transplant in India (least of the preferred places for the transplant). Investigations are being made in UK at the moment to compare the costs and treatment levels. We will appreciate if someone could pass on his/her contact details for us to share the medical reports of Professor Mirza to make similar inquiries in the USA.
September 23, 2008 12:41 PM

Jack Straw on Pakistan and the UK: A Living Bridge

From: http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/sp160908a.htm

16 September 2008

International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan

Jack Straw has given a speech on relations between Pakistan and the UK at the International Islamic University in Islamabad during his official visit to Pakistan.
[Check against delivery: this is the prepared text of the speech, and may differ from the delivered version.]

The Right Honourable Jack Straw MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice:

Introduction

Good afternoon.

I am honoured to be here at the International Islamic University as a long standing friend of Pakistan. I bring with me the greetings and good wishes of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

And Ramadan Kareem to you all. I know the importance of the Holy Month of Ramadan, a time of prayer, of reflection, of empathy - for Muslims from around the world whether in Lahore or Liverpool. Islam, after Christianity, is the second largest, and the fastest growing faith community in the United Kingdom. And I am looking forward greatly to celebrating Iftaar with you here this evening, as I will with friends in Blackburn on Friday, as I did in Delhi on Sunday.

Just less than forty years ago, in the heady days of the late 1960s, I was President of the National Union of Students in the United Kingdom.

I remember the indomitable sense of possibility and of passion felt by students then.

I remember the excitement of having our lives ahead of us, and the future in our hands.

I can only hope that those of you here this afternoon feel something similar. For you are Pakistan's future, you are the leaders of tomorrow, and you are at a hugely significant point in your nation's history.

What I would like to discuss today is the opportunity that now presents itself to your generation, and how democracy and the rule of law can help lay the foundations for a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan as they have for nations around the globe. The Iqbal Institute, which has so graciously hosted this event, was founded to foster dialogue and further understanding between different nations and cultures. And it is in this spirit that I share some of the United Kingdom's experiences, not to hector but to highlight some of the lessons - sometimes painful lessons - from our own past.

My first visit to Pakistan was back in 1992. That included a memorable trip to Muzaffarabad, more recently the scene of such tragic devastation in the 2005 earthquake.

Since then I have visited your country on many occasions, and did so frequently during my five years as British Foreign Secretary.

In any event, Pakistan is seldom out of my thoughts, and never out of my heart. It cannot be, not when I represent 16,000 British Pakistanis in my own constituency in Blackburn, with roots which run deeply throughout this country, but especially in the Mirpur area and the Pakistani Punjab.

When I was last here the region was wracked with tensions which threatened to overspill into something with far more alarming consequences.

And it was just 10 months ago that Pakistan was under emergency rule, elections had been postponed, the rule of law had been supplanted by emergency law.

Benazir Bhutto

And on December 27th came the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, a tragedy as deeply shocking to me as it was to so many millions here in Pakistan and around the world.

I had the honour of knowing Benazir, and of considering her a friend. I last saw her in mid-October last year - shortly before her return to this country. She was a very brave and courageous woman.

In spite of the upheaval and trauma of the past few months and the current difficulties, I can sense - even from my short time here - a real appetite and desire for change. I hear about it often at home, but I can almost touch it here.

Do not lose sight of that, nor allow such optimism to slip into cynicism.

It is because these latest green shoots of democracy which sprouted on Election Day, 18th February 2008 represent the triumph of unity over division that there are those who seek to undermine it.

So I say to you, let the elections which followed the murder of Benazir Bhutto stand as a symbol of hope.

Benazir did not just leave behind her a grieving nation. She left behind a legacy, and the dream of a peaceful and democratic Pakistan. In the words of the poet Ahmed Faraz, who himself passed away here in Islamabad just a fortnight ago:

'Dreams do not die.

Dreams are light, life, wind,

Which can not be stopped by mountains black,

Which do not burn in the hells of cruelty,

Like light and life and wind, they

Do not bow down even in graveyards.'

Remember the determination of the Pakistani people: that terrorism will not succeed; that the dream of democracy will not be bowed, but made real.

Transition to democracy

For the story is the same around the world: whilst the concept of 'democracy' is ancient, the experience of it is young.

This is not just true for the new nations which emerged from the aftermath of World War II or the end of the Cold War, but for much of 'historic' Europe.

Even in the lifetime of my parents, the UK is the only country in Western Europe not to have experienced occupation, dictatorship, or the moral hazard of neutrality in the face of a great evil.

More than that, three now well-functioning democracies in Western Europe - Spain, Portugal and Greece - were ruled by right wing dictators until the Seventies, and nations in Eastern Europe did not even begin to establish democracies until the 1990s.

Some may call it a paradox, others an inevitable feature of imperialism, but either way, the United Kingdom preached the values of democracy at home but for two centuries was less inclined to see it practised abroad. Like any empire, many parts of the British Empire ultimately were enforced by compulsion, subjugation and down the barrel of a gun, not through the will of the people.

I use the example of my country's history to put Pakistan's own transition to democracy into perspective. It is, therefore, with humility that I make my remarks today. It took us a very long time indeed before we practised as well as preached.

Democracy and rule of law

Sometimes democracy and the rule of law may be seen by impatient leaders as an optional extra.
It is not.

The truth is that among those nations which enjoy the greatest stability and long term prosperity, there is one common feature: regardless of race, religion, colour or creed, natural resources or geographical location, it is strong and effective democratic institutions underpinned by the rule of law which enhance the material and social well-being of a country and its people.

This is because true democracy is more than just a people's right to choose its leaders at the ballot box; it is a continuing experience. It gives people security by giving them control over their own lives. It is an end and the means.

To quote Prime Minister Gilani during yesterday's International Democracy Day, 'I have a strong belief that democracy is the best system that has so far been evolved in human history as it not only addresses people's concerns but also gives the opportunity to the people to freely express their will and determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of life'.

The expression of the will of the people through open and fair elections and is essential to a democracy, but so to is effective government, at all levels.

It is through effective democratic government, supported by effective public institutions, that Pakistan can meet the challenges of fighting terrorism, and further marginalising extremism in all its forms; how it can best strengthen the economy; how it can improve the health and education of its citizens.

According to the United Nations Human Development report, 'all but two of the world's richest countries [those with per capita incomes above $20,000] have the world's most democratic regimes'. It goes on to highlight that even among different countries with similar incomes, it is those which are democracies where people live longer and fewer children die. As the economist Amartya Sen has famously argued, 'No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy.'

Stability is sustained in a democracy because a free media, an active citizenry, and effective political processes do not allow governments to sit idly by in the face of injustices and popular pressure. Societies with a sovereign parliament, an independent judiciary and a people free to speak out in legitimate opposition are strengthened by such accountability, not threatened by it.

In the UK we have recently worked more thoroughly to separate the judiciary from the executive and the legislature so there can be no hint that political pressure has been brought to bear on the decisions made by the judges or in their selection. Such separation of powers brings with it the openness that a modern democracy requires if it is to operate effectively and in the confidence of the public.

My own office of Lord Chancellor has been traced back to the seventh century. It is among the most ancient roles in the United Kingdom. But it was as recently as 2005 that the Lord Chancellor combined his post as a member of the Cabinet with that of the head of the Judiciary, and the Speaker of the House of Lords, the second chamber of our Parliament. The uproar would have been extraordinary if such a constitutional anomaly had been created in 2005 rather than substantially reformed.

Now it is the Lord Chief Justice who is head of the judiciary, with an independent appointments commission responsible for the selection of judges, whilst the House of Lords elect their own Speaker. This recent reform to an ancient office goes to show that even the most established democracies must renew their constitutional arrangements so that they continue to meet the demands and expectations of the public.

Security

Democratic institutions inevitably come under the greatest strain when the pressures on those institutions are the greatest. No greater strain arises than from the murderous, random violence which is the consequence of all terrorism. The threats from terrorism are here, there, and everywhere; and terrorist outrages are no respecter of belief or faiths, indeed are an insult to those faiths.

We each choose our own language. I prefer the word 'struggle' to 'war' to describe the response to terrorism in which all of us have to engage, for that is what it is - a struggle. And it is the people of Pakistan who are at the very the forefront of this struggle.

The United Kingdom has lost many souls at home and abroad to Al Qaeda inspired terrorism and to the Taliban; but the people of Pakistan have lost many more. In the last year alone more than a thousand people, military and civilian, have been killed, and many more injured. Pakistan bears a heavy burden and wears the scars of this struggle against terrorism.

In the United Kingdom Al-Qaeda inspired terrorism is not our first experience of this scourge. Hundreds paid with their lives in the 30 year struggle against Irish republican terrorism.

But what this recent experience tells us is that in the face of such security threats, we must stay true to our democratic principles. I recognise that this is not easy, but it is a fallacy that security derives from acting outwith the law. We all would do well to heed the philosopher John Locke: 'where the law ends, tyranny begins'.

In 1942, the darkest year of World War II, and not long after we had weathered 'The Blitz', when Great Britain still faced an existential threat from Nazi Germany - the Law Lord, Lord Atkin [in his dissenting opinion in Liversidge v Anderson], put it this way;

'Amidst the clash of arms the laws are not silent. They may be changed, but they speak the same language in war as in peace.'

What Lord Atkin attested was that that the law should be and ought to remain the framework of any response, especially at times of crisis.

This way a nation's values are put at the forefront of a response and not compromised in chasing the myth that democratic principles are a hindrance to a nation's security.
What we have also learnt is that an effective response necessarily involves more than just the military and law enforcement.

Today 'The Troubles' in Northern Ireland are happily behind us, and the people of Northern Ireland are able to look forward to peaceful and prosperous future. That was achieved by a combination of a firm military and security response, and an increasingly effective political process. British Prime Ministers - John Major and Tony Blair in particular - dealt with men who had blood on their hands. But they were right to do so. The means were justified by the achievement of peace.

Whilst all terrorism is the same in its direct effect - the random killing and maiming of innocent civilians, and the terrorisation of whole communities, there (I accept), the similarities end. For example, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) had clearly defined political ends, and a leadership and an associated, lawful, political party to articulate those ends.

In contrast, Al-Qaeda has no coherent or attainable political ends. The only thing they articulate is violence, the only thing they are reconciled to is division. I know of no conceivable basis on which any kind of 'negotiation' with the leadership of Al Qaeda would normally be justified.

When David Miliband was here in April he talked about the importance of reconciliation with those who are willing to be reconciled. Reconciliation does not mean creating a haven for terrorists - quite the reverse. It means establishing a dialogue with those who are prepared to renounce violence and participate in due democratic processes. That has been the lesson of Northern Ireland, and that was the lesson of the 18th February. If you give people voice through democracy, those who oppose it can be marginalised.

This can help challenge the conditions of social acceptance, even tolerance, which allow Al-Qaeda and the Taliban operate in some areas of the North-West Frontier Province, the Tribal Areas of Pakistan, and the bordering eastern parts of Afghanistan.

In these areas, and alongside a firm security response, I believe politics - which after all is about the resolution of grievances and injustices in a way which avoids violence - has a crucial role to play in helping to improve the conditions of the people(s), and thereby helping to make the terrorists' environment much less benign. More to the point, I know that your new President Zardari, and the government of Pakistan hold this belief too.

There is now a growing understanding between ourselves and the Pakistani authorities that in the long term security does not derive from the actions of the military, the law enforcement agencies and the courts alone. This applies to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq as it did to Northern Ireland.

A key, and growing part of any successful counter-terrorism strategy must be to prevent individuals from being drawn to violent extremism in the first instance. To do so is not to mobilise tanks, aircraft, troops - but instead to give voice to that great majority of the people who renounce terror.

I was struck, a week ago today, by the symbolism of President Karzai joining your newly sworn-in President at his first press conference: the leaders of two nations among those which have lost the most in the struggle against terrorism, and have the most to gain in working together with common purpose to end it.

I also applaud President Zardari for his promise of continuing to strengthen relations with India and his recognition of the need further to build up trust and create new ties between the two countries. The lesson from recent European history can apply every bit as much in South Asia. Genuine peace is far more than the cessation of hostilities, but the forging of constructive and mutually beneficial relationships between a country and its neighbours.

We wholeheartedly support Pakistan's developing 'multi-pronged approach', encompassing diplomatic, economic, political and security responses.

So it heartens me that cooperation between our countries is improving in respect of all these areas. And I am sure that Prime Minister Gilani's government is as committed as Gordon Brown's to doing still more.

In July this year, our Government announced that it was doubling to £480 million support for fighting poverty over the next three years, making Pakistan the UK's second largest aid programme recipient.

This help will be targeted, in cooperation with the Pakistani authorities, where it is needed most, particularly in the border areas - helping more children get an education, improving health, tackling preventable diseases like TB and polio - to help Pakistan to achieve its goals.

I am here to play my part as Justice Secretary, and it is why my colleagues from across Her Majesty's Government - the Foreign Secretary, the Defence Secretary, the International Development Secretary, the Home Secretary, the Communities Secretary all have visited in recent months.

We must recognise our responsibility to you, and yours to us - for we face many of the same threats.

For Pakistan's security is Britain's security; as Britain's is Pakistan's.

Living bridge

This increasing sense of partnership is critical to all our interests because there is a living bridge between our two countries, in the shape of the 1 million British citizens and their families of Pakistani descent.

Such strong family and cultural ties between our two countries - rooted as they are in a long, shared history - enrich us both. In politics, education, medicine, sport, the arts people of Pakistani origin are an important and established part of British life.

From Amir Khan in boxing to James Caan in business, from Owais Shar in the England cricket team, to Sarfraz Manzoor in journalism British Pakistanis are hugely successful. We are enormously admiring of such achievement, and of Britons who are comfortable with and proud of their Pakistani heritage.

In the realm of British politics, the four Members of Parliament of Pakistani heritage [Shahid Malik (Dewsbury), Sadiq Khan (Tooting), Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow, Central) and Khalid Mahmood (Birmingham, Petty Barr)] - two of whom are ministers - bear testimony to the influence of the Pakistani community on our country. But the strength of this living bridge is such that I hear Pakistani politics debated every bit as much as British politics on the streets of Blackburn.

Not surprising given the 1.4 million journeys made between Pakistan and the UK each year for tourism, to visit families, for business - helping people to stay in touch with their kith and kin, their culture and their heritage.

Pakistan-UK trade ties are strong and growing. £1.9 billion worth of trade flowed between the two countries in 2006, whilst the UK is Pakistan's third largest trading partner. Around 80 UK companies are currently doing business in Pakistan, evidence of their confidence in Pakistan's economic potential. Large British banks are increasingly looking to success in Pakistan: Barclays Bank opened its first three branches in the country - one here in Islamabad - just last month.

Pakistani people have made and continue to make an enormous and invaluable contribution to all walks of life in the UK.

British Pakistanis are where Britain and Pakistan intersect. Their success shows that these two identities can and do thrive in the same place and in the same person.

Conclusion

I do not for one moment underestimate the challenges Pakistan faces, in its transition to democracy, in the face of terrorism, in strengthening the economy and its international ties.

And I hope that the Pakistani people continue to find the strength to keep moving forward, even when you have already come so far. I can offer you the hand of support and friendship of the United Kingdom to help you on your way. But ultimately how far you progress it is not in anyone's gift but yours.

As with so many things, I think it is William Shakespeare - perhaps the most cherished poet and playwright in the English language - who has put it most elegantly:
'Our remedies oft in ourselves do lieWhich we ascribe to heaven.' (All's Well That Ends Well)

As all of you know better than me, the remedy lies with the Pakistani people - your future is yours to determine. Progress, stability, security can only be achieved through the expression of your will and resolve.

Let this year which began in mourning, end in celebration.

Let the decade which began with much hope, end with a lasting transition to democracy.

Thank you and Ramadan Mubarak.

Our Escalating Boycott Rate!

The doors are locked and entry is not allowed…even if you are a faculty member, you cannot get in for your classes and teaching assignments as it is second day of students’ protest in the Women Campus of International Islamic University, Islamabad. This recent protest is widely reported in national dailies and news channels. We can even see what students are really up to and think about soaring strike culture at IIUI. Is it unusual that students went on strike in an educational institution in Pakistan? Of course, not! We have a plethora of evidence that every now and then students stage such demonstration somewhere in Pakistan and at times they are bloody cool! However what is unusual in case of IIUI is its punching strike rate which we have observed over the last couple of years. If you don’t recall, we can give you some flashback in the form of pictures, videos and news coverage. Enjoy, if you are not among the big bosses!

What makes our students to go on strike is a million dollar question for IIUI administration. What else we can do for you chaps, they monger every time whenever a news item pops up. To them, IIUI is a complete institution by all means: competent faculty staff, visionary leadership, shining students, superb infrastructure, efficient management and on the top of every thing, moderate and always on cutting edge! So what goes wrong every now and then that some trouble makers start marching around, shouting meaningless and shameful slogans such as “water in hostels”, “books in libraries”, “good teachers in classes”, “over stuffed hostels”, “increased fee” etc. etc.

We’ll ask them to remain cool and comfortable. Students are notoriously immature and they never comprehend how prideful our President is when it comes to his achievements within very short span of time. If you really want to feel that sense of pride then go through the recent interview of our President on Dawn’s educational pages. It is indeed a much revealing piece. In addition to expose the decaying quality of Dawn’s journalism, this interview clearly tells us that our president could be proud for 4 times just in one session of interview. Not only this, he could take pride at least for 2 times in the same interview and this obviously for what he has done for IIUI! He is perhaps in run for this year’s Presidential Pride of Performance Award! All the best Dr. sahib!

Unfortunately students and the most of the faculty do not share this sense of pride and they are highly critical of what is happening on campus. Isn’t it a matter of subjective interpretation? One thing is for sure that Dr. Siddiqi’s tenure as president witnessed unprecedented strikes and agitations on Campus. By the way the interview reveals that the “visionary president” lacks some vision when he narrates the history of IIUI (He says: “We started with the faculty of Islamic Studies with the strength of just 40 students,” whereas we all know that faculty of Islamic studies (was there ever a faculty with this name?) was not the pioneering faculty of IIUI; Dr. Siddiqui was then “proud of the Department of Social Science which has been established under his enterprising aegis”. Yet another sheer misrepresentation of facts! He does not even know about certain basic statistics of IIUI and says “We are lucky to have four PhDs teaching in the faculty of Engineering”. In fact IIUI hosts seven (7) PhDs in the Faculty of Engineering & Technology: http://my.iiu.edu.pk/Faculties/EngineeringTechnology/FacultyStaff/tabid/79/Default.aspx )

If you really want to know that why it is all happening then there are simple answers. Answers that do not need Socratic wisdom but of course, call for invoking your ordinary prudence! Our problem is maladministration and mismanagement. Despite all rhetoric about power decentralization, we are an extremely enclosed body-corporate where decision making is centralized and irrational. Whatever notional powers are devolved, they are among the few handpicked and largely incompetent people who ultimately create these situations for the President. Let’s take the example of this strike. Who decided about the increase of hostel fee and how that decision was reached? Like all other cases and after students’ agitation and strike, the decision was withdrawn in the name of clarification and misconception. Our familiar buzz words at IIUI! Every time after facing music, our President delicately shifts the whole blame to his subordinate authority and ironically that authority cannot even utter a word: Et tu, Brute?

We sincerely believe that strike culture is merely a tip of an iceberg of maladministration. It is high time for IIUI administration to come out of its boastful pride and think about the ground realities. Such matters cannot be resolved with poorly drafted counter press releases.

"The URL you requested has been blocked"

We are informing you that our IIUI readers are currently experiencing some problem in accessing this blog site from International Islamic University Islamabad. Whenever the blog’s URL is launched in web browser from IIUI, a message pops up: The URL you requested has been blocked. URL = iiuiblog.blogspot.com. Apparently it looks that I I U I Blog has been blocked at IIUI’s internal network. We have been trying to understand this situation realising the fact that there might be some technical bottlenecks behind this restraint but now it looks that this blog site is deliberately blocked. We have contacted IIUI web & IT team and asked them about this matter but so far we could not get any response from them.

Since the day we started this blog, we have struggled to keep it as diverse in opinion as possible but alas!! The narrow-mindedness of a few people has apparently prevailed and the authorities at IIUI have resorted to censorship and blockade of blog which is condemnable and lamentable in today’s free, democratic Pakistan. It also reflects their sheer bad taste as such technological measures can be easily circumvented these days

There is no doubt that a few posts were critical of the policies of IIUI administration but we don’t think that the step taken by the authorities is in any way justifiable. Our purpose has always been to generate a healthy and candid debate within IIUI and we are of the view that dissent is necessary for the intellectual life of an institution.

We’ll request Dr Manzoor Ahmad ("learned Islamic scholar " and “the greatest living philosopher of today’s Pakistan”) and Dr Anwar H Siddiqui (“the visionary president of IIUI”) to please look into the matter and see who are those that are responsible for strangling our voice at IIUI campus and let them share some wisdom and vision that God has bestowed to you both.

Vision, passion and purpose

From: Dawn, Karachi, http://www.dawn.com/weekly/education/education1.htm
By Kaleem Ahsan

A dynamic educationist with a passion for revolutionising the International Islamic University (IIU), Islamabad, of which he has been the president for over a year-and-a-half now, Dr Anwar H. Siddiqui, is no stranger to this high seat of learning, having also served as its vice president from 1986 to 1997. He has an illustrious career in the prestigious and sanctimonious field of education, having previously held such distinguished positions as Vice Chancellor, Allama Iqbal Open University (Islamabad); DG, Federal Judicial Academy; Director, National Institute of Public Administration (Karachi); Director, Research & Studies, Pakistan Administrative Staff College (Lahore); Professor and Chief Consultant, Ahmed Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

As one of the founding members of the IIU, Dr Anwar has a special attachment to the institute and is thereby fervently committed to the task of taking it forward academically with the introduction of new disciplines and faculties. He fondly recalls the humble beginnings of the university in 1980: “We started with the faculty of Islamic Studies with the strength of just 40 students,” he says while showing extreme pride in the giant strides that the university has made over the years.

Today, the university boasts of nine faculties and five autonomous academies, institutes and centres that are offering some 58 academic programmes to no less than 14,000 students of which 5,500 are female students.

“We have the highest number of female students among all the Pakistani universities. We are very proud of our female campus for which we have separate female teachers — parents are very confident and comfortable sending their daughters to our university. If we continue with our present pace, it can be safely predicated that in the next 10 years, we would have 10,000 female students,” he rhapsodises.

Talking about some of the unique programmes that IIU offers in Sharia & Law; Islamic Studies (Usuluddin); and Islmaic Banking & Finance, he asserts, “Our Arabic-based programmes are the best in Pakistan. We put a strong emphasis on Arabic in the teaching of Islamic subjects. We offer specialised education in the field — BA in Sharia & Law, in which we offer all courses as per requirement of the Bar Council as well as harmonising the course with the injunctions of Islamic Sharia. Our students are serving as judges, session judges, additional session judges. In the discipline of Islamic Economics, we impart knowledge on modern economics and attune this with the tenets of Islamic economic system — Islamic Banking. As you know, Islamic Banking is now gaining popularity and spreading in the world — we are a pioneering institute in the subject of Islamic Banking & Finance, integrating modern economics and finance with the Islamic economic and banking system.”

With science and technology being the buzzword in the field of education, the International Islamic University has also expanded to bring this all-important subject within its fold.

“We now have a major thrust towards Science & Technology, Economics, Management Science, Computer Science, Engineering, Basic & Applied Sciences,” Dr Siddiqui proudly points out, adding, “Our engineering degree is now recognised by the Pakistan Engineering Council. We are lucky to have four PhDs teaching in the faculty of Engineering. In Basic & Applied Science we are offering new fields like Mathematics, Bio Informatics, Environmental Science, Software Engineering.”

Of the contribution he’s made in the growth of the university, Dr Sahib is particularly proud of the Department of Social Science which has been established under his enterprising aegis.

With media having acquired such importance in the society today and with its role also having undergone such tremendous change, he states that the Centre for Media & Communication Studies (CMCS) has been setup in the light of these new changes. “The print media will never lose its importance and relevance,” he rightly observes. “But with the exponential growth that has taken place in the country in the field of electronic media, the overall role of media has changed — in print as well as electronic media.” Taking all of this into account, the CMCS has been established and the university has strived to enlist the services of qualified and experienced professionals for its faculty. “It is a modest start but in due time we plan to have our own pilot studio for training in television. So until we manage to acquire this facility, we have arranged for our students to get the necessary training at the PTV studios. We already have our own FM radio station. We are also planning to have a complete media centre for which we are making efforts to seek Japanese cooperation. Our aim is produce trained personnel for the various media-related fields — so that those who graduate from our institute would be absorbed by the market.”

In other fields of social sciences, the IIU is offering Political Science & International Relations, Psychology, History, and Sociology.“

We also have a very good, separate Education department,” he enthuses.

Alumni of the prestigious Institute of Business Administration, University of Karachi (1961), after which he acquired his PhD from the University of Southern California (1966), it is only understandable that Dr Sahib has a special interest in the fields of economy and business. There is great pride in his voice when he talks about the status and standing of IIU in the arena of business education. “IBA in Karachi is acknowledged as No 1 in this field after which LUMS is accorded the second position. Our university is considered to be third,” he discloses proudly. “And we are trying to further improve our standard and standing,” he adds. “We have 50 faculty members of which 50 per cent are employed on a full time basis. We have quite a few PhDs among them — it is hard to find PhDs in Business Administration. Overall we have 60 PhDs in our faculty. We have sent 30 PhDs abroad for further studies.”

It is said that a good teacher is a happy teacher — a teacher content with his/her remuneration.

Cognizant of this dictum, Dr Anwar points out that the salary structure of the teachers has been revived and made more flexible. “Our professor gets Grade 21 and Lecturer Grade 18. For our various faculties, especially for Law, Engineering, Computer Science, we try to get fresh PhDs … and they want to be paid well, as per their qualification so we are paying 1.25 lac to a PHD. We have a very dynamic international faculty and a strong presence of overseas students hailing from some 46 countries. Most of our foreign students are from China.“

We are the trustees of Faisal Mosque. Our Islamic Research Institute is the biggest in the country. Our library is also one of the biggest in Pakistan. Our Sharia Academy is very well-reputed and recently the Iqbal Institute of Research & Dialogue has shifted to our Academy from Lahore.”

With everything having the prefix ‘Islam’ looked down upon or quite suspiciously these days, especially in the West, Dr Anwar strongly rejects the notion in some circles that IIU is some kind of a glorified madressah. “We are an international standard university offering courses in various fields — especially Islamic Sharia & Law, and Islamic Finance and Banking. There is no element of religious extremism anywhere in any of our disciplines. Many dignitaries visit our university when they come to Pakistan.”

Broaching the subject of the IIU’s admission policy, he stresses, “The admission is given on merit and we also offer financial assistance to deserving students. If a student is very good in studies, we do not let him or her leave due to financial constraints. Students apply to us for financial assistance and after assessing their case, we allow them fee concession. We have a number of funds for providing financial help to the students under different headings.

With the university’s name being what it is, one would have expected that it is being funded by the leading, if not most, Islamic countries. However, it was a surprise to learn that this is not the case.

“We have no funding from the Islamic world. Our university was established through a resolution of the OIC but we don’t get any funding from any of the OIC states. Twenty per cent of our expenses are covered by the budget that the government provides us and the remaining 80 per cent we generate from the fee. We have sister universities in Malaysia, Uganda, Niger, etc. The Saudi Arabian government helps by providing us Arabic teachers. So you can say that the international help that we receive is only limited to coin and kind.”

But despite the limited financial resources that the IIU has at its disposal, Dr Anwar H. Siddiqui, within the short period of time that he has been at the helm of affairs, has managed to take the university forward through his visionary approach, turning it into a dynamic seat of learning attuned to the present day needs and requirements.