By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dr Mukhtar Ahmed on Tuesday said that Iran has been the guardian of knowledge, culture, and heritage for centuries, whereas Pakistan and Iran can learn from each other’s experiences as neighbouring countries.
He was addressing as chair to the opening session of the two-day Second International Conference on “Iran-Pakistan Academic-Cultural Dialogue” here organized by Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan.
Dr. Mukhtar highlighted the importance of Muslim countries setting aside their mutual differences and uniting to address common problems. He also stressed that Iran-Pakistan relations can be further strengthened through educational and cultural cooperation.
Furthermore, he emphasized the use of education, science, and knowledge for the betterment of humanity instead of destruction. Lastly, he also offered prayers and condolences for the former president of Iran who recently passed away.
The head of the Iranian delegation, Prof. Dr. Seyyed Abolhasan Navvab, addressed the conference, expressing his pleasure in visiting Pakistan and Allama Iqbal Open University. He underscored the shared values between Iran and Pakistan, highlighting the importance of cooperation in education, culture, knowledge, economy and science.
Prof. Dr. Navvab also mentioned the vast opportunities for collaboration between the two countries and expressed gratitude for the support from the Pakistani nation and government. He concluded by expressing his willingness to visit Pakistan frequently to further enhance the relationship, and thanked AIOU and HEC for organizing the conference.
Vice-Chancellor, AIOU, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood, while delivering the welcome note, said that during a conference at Irani University this year, significant progress was made in fostering collaboration in various departments. As a result, the Iqbal Chair was established at the University of Religions and Denomination in Iran, the Urdu department was founded at the University of Qom, and a Persian language course was started at the Allama Iqbal Open University.
Dr. Nasir Mahmood highlighted the deep connections between Iran and Pakistan in terms of religion, civilization, and culture, and expressed AIOU’s commitment to strengthening these ties through education. Additionally, Vice Chancellors from 20 Pakistani universities also took part in the conference.
Vice Chancellors from six universities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and their delegations were participating, led by Vice Chancellor, University of Religions and Denominations, Prof. Dr. Seyyed Abolhasan Navvab. The conference aimed to foster cultural and academic partnerships, enhance relations in education and research, promote the languages of both countries, educate the new generation about the importance of cultural and historical ties between the two neighboring countries, and encourage academic dialogue among scholars from both countries. The conference would span on two days and include various sessions.
