President Mamnoon Hussain on Saturday called upon the thinkers, researchers, teachers and students to play their due role in highlighting the true image of Islam by effectively countering a negative impression created by certain elements.
Addressing the 10th Convocation of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), the president said: “Being the followers of Holy Prophet (PBUH), there was a need to inculcate and project the image of Islam in its true perspective”.
He stressed upon the Ummah to shun the petty differences and strive hard for peace and safety of the world.
The president noted that under such prevailing circumstances, the role of thinkers, teachers and students of the IIUI had assumed a greater importance.
“Certain misled elements wrecked havoc with their actions by misinterpreting teachings of Islam, and their terrorist activities also brought lawlessness in the Muslim societies,” he added.
President Mamnoon urged the teachers and researchers to fully concentrate on finding solutions to the problems being faced by the Muslim Ummah.
He opined that the time had come to formulate a collective counter-terrorism narrative and a joint stance to tackle such issues, and in this connection, teachers, researchers and thinkers would have to play an important role.
He urged the IIUI and its allied departments to contemplate over the burning issues confronting the Muslim world.
The president said that there was a common complaint about the functioning and objectivity of the media, which had neglected the vital issues being faced by Muslims.
The president expressed hope that the IIUI would render its services for the revival of the past glory of Islam and promote universal peace and solidarity.
He congratulated the students and their parents on completion of the degree and doctoral programmes, and expressed hope that they would become a real asset for the nation in future.
He also urged the IIUI authorities to encourage a culture of research and studies, and adopt a stringent mechanism so that plagiarism in doctorate programmes could be tackled.
The president said: “Institutions which thrived on tendencies of plagiarism should be closed”.
He opined that the country required services of such PhD scholars, who could impart real knowledge to others.