“Pays glowing tribute to soldiers martyred at LoC”
Muzaffarabad: (Parliament Times) Leading academician, researcher and scholar, Professor Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies in the School of International Service at American University in Washington, called on Sardar Masood Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, here at the Presidency.
Professor Akbar, during his two-day visit to Azad Kashmir, will be delivering lectures at Azad Jammu and Kashmir University, Muzaffarabad and Mirpur University of Science and Technology, on common misconceptions related to the Muslim world, countering global Islamophobic elements and the resulting clash of civilisation between the east and the west.
President Masood Khan while welcoming Professor Akbar commended him for highlighting the misperceptions on the ongoing war on terror and its ill-perceived linkages with Islam through his extensive research and publications. He said that the Professor’s contributions towards promoting pressing issues like interreligious dialogue and harmony, awareness of differences and commonalities among civilizations will positively contribute to the amicable resolution of longstanding international conflicts and disputes.
During the meeting, both the President and Professor Akbar discussed the major issues plaguing the Muslim world. The President said that education is of an overriding importance which will help create awareness and raise the prestige of Muslims all over the world.
Earlier, Professor Akbar delivered his lecture at the University of AJK and appreciated the overwhelming response he received from the faculty, researchers and students present at the occasion. The President said that such lectures will help stimulate academic dialogue and research on these issues and he also encouraged reading the Professor’s publications in order to further understand the intricacies of these issues.
Professor. Dr. Kaleem Abbasi, Vice Chancellor AJK University; Prof. Dr. Aisha, Dean Faculty of Arts; Prof. Dr. Abdul Qayyum, Dean Faculty of Sciences; and Prof. Dr. Bashir Ahmed, Dean Faculty of Health Sciences was also present during the meeting.
Meanwhile, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, paid glowing tribute to Havaldar Abdul Razzaq and Havaldar Mumtaz Hussain, both of whom embraced martyrdom due to unprovoked cross-border fire during a fencing operation at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Both Havaldar Abdul Razzaq and Havaldar Mumtaz Hussain were laid to rest with full military honour at their respective ancestral villages in Haveli District, Azad Kashmir.
While paying homage to the martyred soldiers, the President said that Azad Kashmir is the land of martyrs and Ghazis and the people of Azad Kashmir have selflessly defended the motherland and will continue to do so against all external and internal threats. “Our fight against terrorism will continue till we rid Pakistan of this scourge”, the President said.