LAHORE: The Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) held a conference on promotion of peace and tolerance at universities of Punjab here on Wednesday.
The Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) chairperson, vice chancellors of public sector universities of Punjab, prominent academicians and intellectuals participated in the conference.
The conference also observed one-minute silence against lynching of a student, Mashal Khan, at the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, over allegations of blasphemy.
Addressing the inaugural session, PHEC Chairperson Prof Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin emphasised the need of structural changes at university campuses to promote peace and tolerance. “We need to strengthen and encourage culture of dialogue and critical thinking among students,” he said.
Dr Nizam added that there was need of a constructive dialogue on promotion of peace and tolerance. He went on to say, “The PHEC working group has taken the initiative to gather stakeholders form all public sector universities of the Punjab at one place. A number of seminars, literary activities and workshops have been organised in the universities of southern Punjab under the banner of working group. The PHEC is working arduously to cultivate civic education and positive attitudes among students to make them responsible and tolerant citizens.
PHEC working group Convener Dr Rauf-i-Azam said that threats to peace and tolerance at campuses were far more from the internal environment of the campus than of the external milieu. “We can build walls to make our campuses secure from external threats, but no peace could be brought until and unless we make our students sensitised to exigency of peace and its significance,” said Dr Azam.
Addressing as key note speaker, Prof Dr Tahir Kamran emphasised the need to change curriculum, revival of student societies and promotion of culture of dialogue at university level.
In her address, Lahore College Women University (LCWU) Vice Chancellor Dr Rukhsana Kausar said that values of responsible citizenry were needed to be cultivated among students.
The conference was followed by a panel discussion where renowned experts and academicians shared their views and opinions on the deteriorating condition of peace in the universities, and suggested viable implications and solutions to the problem, which would be forwarded to policymakers for necessary change to curriculum in universities.
