Day: December 5, 2022

Lahore, December 05, 2022 (PPI-OT):The definition of a good woman needs to be changed in our society; we called those women good who take domestic abuse and violence but remain silent. It was said by a spokesperson for the Punjab Chief Minister, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, while addressing a panel discussion titled “Times up, unite activism to end violence against women” at the GC University Lahore which was also addressed by rights activist Kiran Zehra Zaidi, White Ribbon Pakistan CEO Umar Aftab, Dr. Faiza Tayyab and Secretary Social Welfare Ms. Sumaira Samad.

The panel discussion was part of the Second All Pakistan Summit for Students’ Societies organised by GCU in collaboration with Shaoor Foundation and Superior University. Eminent veteran actress Seemi Raheel and a young lawyer Khadija Siddiqui were also among the panellists. GCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi attended this session in the audience.

Musarrat Cheema shared problems she faced as a woman in politics, saying that men, whose wives or other female family members are empowered, face stigmatization and blaming. She criticised the media for blaming women in different criminal stories, saying that the dramatization of crime is a sin. She said a sense of security should be given to women so they speak up against abuse, harassment and violence. She laid stress on the implementation of legislation regarding violence against women without class discrimination.

Kiran Zaidi said that where there are tragedies, there must also be some stories where women succeeded in fighting for justice and these women should be role models for young girls studying in universities. Khadija Siddiqui said children growing up in abusive homes end up developing violent traits which results in a chain of abuse.

Eminent veteran actress Seemi Raheel highlighted the role of academia to build a narrative against domestic abuse and gender violence. She asked why we remained silent when a wife-beater was given an award recently at the show. She said we cannot marginalise either men or women we have to talk about both together. GCU Women Development Centre Incharge Sumera Khalil moderated the session which was also addressed by student representatives Arhaba Waseem, Amna Naeem and Mustafa Bilal.

For more information, contact:
Public Relations Department,
Government College University (GCU)
Squash Complex, GC University, Lahore, Pakistan
UAN: +92-42-111-000-010 Ext: 296
Tel: +92-42-99213343
Cell: +92-321-8440769
Email: registrar@gcu.edu.pk
Website: http://www.gcu.edu.pk

Lahore, December 05, 2022 (PPI-OT):Universities should have autonomy for political and social discourse for empowerment of students. It was said by Prof. Dr Asghar Zaidi, the Vice Chancellor of GC University Lahore, on Monday raising a question that we talk a lot about “jamhorait” (democracy) but are we truly giving awareness to “jamhor” (people)?

Prof. Zaidi was addressing a panel discussion titled “empowering youth for future leadership” at the University’s Bukhari Auditorium. Punjab Minister for Higher Education Raja Yassir Humayun chaired the panel discussion which marked the formal beginning of the Second All Pakistan Summit for the Students’ Societies organised by GCU in collaboration with Shaoor Foundation and Superior University. Student representatives Hamza Mudassar, Fareeha Hashmi and Afnan Hafiz were also mong the panellists.

VC Prof. Zaidi said universities have failed to fulfil responsibilities and their current situation truly reflects in Iqbal’s poetry “Shikayat Hai Mujhe Ya Rab! Khudawand-E-Maktab Se, Sabaq Shaheen Bachon Ko De Rahe Hain Khaakbazi Ka” (Slaves of custom are all the schools of old; they teach the eaglet to grovel in the dust).

The Vice-Chancellor said higher education is changing rapidly, and the industry is also demanding new skillsets in graduates but we are struggling with a structural lag. He said the main objective of this summit is to bring students, academicians and stakeholders together to conduct a dialogue on the challenges and issues faced by students.

Prof. Zaidi said empowerment means giving someone authority and power to claim their rights and independence. Therefore, he said, the question for us is in what ways we can empower our higher education students and what policies are needed to be adopted. Punjab Minister Raja Yasir Humayun lamented that in the past Student Unions in Pakistan had been taken in a completely wrong direction and controlled by political parties for their ulterior motives, so ultimately banned.

The minister said that providing a student representatives system to higher education institutes was on his agenda. “First of all, we need to empower the students by making them run affairs in the institutions by having access to the allocated funds but instead of a students’ union we may call it a student representation system so that it could be kept away from politics,” he added.

The minister encouraged students to actively participate in co-curricular activities, saying the job market has become competitive and you cannot get jobs just on the basis of your marks, rather your communication skills and leadership qualities help you more in securing your dream jobs.

Advocate High Court Ms. Aminah Qadir highlighted the importance of acknowledging fundamental human rights. She also stressed the need for a proper and regular communication channel between student bodies and administration to avoid protests.

Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, University of Sindh pro VC Prof Dr Azhar Ali Shah, BZU Multan Law College Principal Dr. Samza Fatima, Raja Shoiab Akhtar from Shahoor Foundation and GCU Youth Development Center Director Mubashir Awan also addressed the two-hour long panel discussion.

Student representatives were also asked about the reforms they would want to see in the educational system. They mentioned three main points; collaboration between students and teachers for effective communication, the need for awareness against intellectual bullying and third was to develop such curriculum that instigates critical thinking.

For more information, contact:
Public Relations Department,
Government College University (GCU)
Squash Complex, GC University, Lahore, Pakistan
UAN: +92-42-111-000-010 Ext: 296
Tel: +92-42-99213343
Cell: +92-321-8440769
Email: registrar@gcu.edu.pk
Website: http://www.gcu.edu.pk