Rawalpindi, November 25, 2021 (PPI-OT):After completing the 25 years of academic excellence Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (PMAS AAUR) has marked the occasion by launching week-long Silver Jubilee Celebrations beginning with educational, social and cultural activities on November 22, 2021.
Federal Minister for Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain, Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi, PMAS-AAUR Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman, Prof. Dr Khalid Mehmood Khan (Sitara Imtiaz) Former Vice-Chancellor PMAS AAUR, President Pakistan Academy of Sciences and Secretary-General NASIC Dr Shaista Sohail, Executive Director Higher Education Commission, Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Chairman PCRWR, Members of Parliaments, Diplomats, faculty members and students were also present on the occasion. Registrar Pakistan Engineering Council faculty members, students and other university staff were also present on the occasion.
In his address Federal Minister Ch. Fawad Hussain said that it is an exciting trajectory of expansion and growth that the university has come a long way in these twenty-five years which enabled its national eminence and global impact. The federal Minister said that only educational institutions and students can change the faith of the country and entrepreneurship is the only way where our youngsters should focus.
Calling smart agriculture technologies the future of the medium he said that due to this, people are not only reducing their agriculture input cost but also increasing their outputs. The federal minister said that we are living at a moment where the world is recovering from a huge crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic as all the fields of life are transitioning from conventional to the online so it would be a serious challenge for educational institutions that how they will become part of this transitioning system while maintaining their quality.
In his address, the provincial agriculture minister Hussain Jahania Gardezi said that it is a great pleasure to hear that in such a short period the Arid University has produced such eminent people who have not only made the name of the institution famous but also benefited the country through their achievements at home and abroad.
He said that it is a matter of great honour that whenever modern research and technology for agriculture is mentioned at the provincial or national level, the name of Arid Agriculture University comes first. He also advised to continue this trend of innovation and quality education and to extend all possible research to the common farmers. Prof. Dr Khalid Mehmood Khan Ex-Vice Chancellor of PMAS AAUR appreciated the efforts of AAUR towards quality education and Academia-Industry strong linkages and hoped that the university will maintain its legacy in future also.
In his opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the university Prof. Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman said that the institute has been an innovator in the field of agriculture education since 1994, having over 12000 students, 1000 teaching faculty and management staff. He said that all the teachers and students should take advantage of the opportunities to broaden their professional networks as such interactions invariably lead to intellectual maturity, creative thinking and skills for expression.
He urged all the stakeholders for their active participation in a week-long variety of social, scientific and cultural events made up in line with the aim of transforming conventional agriculture to modern-day digital and precision agriculture. The future of the world is AI and its use helped the government to identify bogus recipients in BISP. Qasim Khan Suri Artificial Intelligence is already making an impact on our lives and will soon play a much greater role in our work lives. The potential applications of AI excite forward-thinking managers, who see the opportunities AI will provide to advance careers and business results faster.
For the purpose Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi arranged a seminar on “AI for management solution: Affordable and Access” where Qasim Khan Suri Deputy Speaker National assembly participated as a chief guest along with Dr Ishrat Hussain Ex-Governor State bank, Prof. Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman Vice-Chancellor PMAS AAUR, Dr Najimdeen Bakar from NUST, Shakil Munir President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Atiq ur Rehman CEO Nayakam Pvt. Ltd. and Raja Umer Iqbal Executive Member Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In his address, Qasim Khan Soori said that the pace of development in the world has accelerated and countries that do not adapt to these changes and adapt to them will be left far behind in this race. He said that all the big companies in the world are working hard on how to reduce their input costs and increase revenue by reducing human resources which is only viable due to automation which is named AI in the present day, he said.
AI is not useful for the private industry but also very helpful for the governments for their smooth day to day operations as its use Pakistan had identified 600,000 fake aid recipients in BISP last year and helped the government to deliver billions of rupees to the actual needy through the Ehsaas program without any political interference, he said.
While addressing Dr Ishrat Hussain said that the working styles are changing in the world where the use of brain labour is increasing more than conventional labour. Dr Ishrat said that we should consider AI as a tool for prosperity, not the replacement the human intelligence which makes our life very easy and through the application of AI, information-intensive domains such as marketing, health care, financial services, education, and professional services could become simultaneously more valuable and less expensive to society.
In his concluding remarks, Prof. Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman the vice-chancellor of the university thanked the guests and said that Arid Agriculture University is working hard in Prime Minister’s transformation program and due to which it is the only university in Pakistan which is working on precision agriculture technology which will enable the farmers to reduce the input cost and increase the outputs. He said that if we want to see Pakistan as a developed country then we have to adapt to the new technologies being used in the developed world which will innovate and increase Pakistan’s exports and make it economically strong.
The third day of the Silver Jubilee of PMAS AAUR ended with educational, research and cultural activities. The Chairman PM’s task Force for Gems and Jewellery Eng. Gul Asghar Khan Baghoor said in a technical seminar on Socio-Economic Benefits of Entrepreneurial Mindset that Arid Agriculture University is becoming an important educational institution in Pakistan due to its quality research and modern agricultural transformation, attended by the vice-chancellor of the university Prof. Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman and Dr GU Wenliang the Agriculture Commissioner of Chinese Embassy beside him.
While appreciating the activity Gul Asghar said that it is a commendable initiative that Arid University has conducted such a seminar to draw the attention of the students to entrepreneurship because only through this method Pakistan can overcome all its problems like unemployment and economic problems.
GU Wenliang, Chinese Agriculture Commissioner in Pakistan said that China is trying its best to uplift Pakistan’s agriculture sector and many agriculture projects have become part of CPEC. China will pledge to open up its markets for Pakistani agriculture products like rice, fish etc. to facilitate Pakistan in the marketing of its Halal food products, also to provide modern agricultural technologies, he said.
In his address, Prof. Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman said that technology has made it very easy to start your own business, now with just a mobile phone and a few pennies you can own a business worth billions of rupees. He said that there are many examples in the world where people started their businesses in poverty and unfavourable conditions? today they are counted among the richest countries in the world.
He termed the students to start their own business as a charity where they would not only be able to earn a living for themselves but would also be a source of livelihood for others. The federal minister for Narcotics Control Ijaz Ahmad Shah said during his participation in a drama arranged by Aradian Society on the title of “Manshyat Mout Ka Jaal Hain” drugs are the tool of hybrid war which is enemy using against Pakistan so it is the responsibility of every Pakistani this war.
Major General Ghulam Shabbir Narejo DG Anti-Narcotics Force while appreciating the activity said that the era of conventional wars is over and the enemy is now using new methods to lure and destroy the young generation of Pakistan, so it is the responsibility of all of us to Save Pakistan from the nefarious tactics of the enemy.
The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman assured the guests that Arid University is working hard towards a narcotics free campus and ANF also appreciated its efforts. Referring to the hybrid war, he said that all the university administration stood by the country’s security agencies in every difficult time.
In parallel, the university has also conducted a seminar on Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan to educate and empower the female students about their rights where Ms Afshan Qamar the wife of the University Vice-chancellor participated as a chief guest along with Dr Samia Raheel Qazi Ex-Parliamentarians, Prof. Dr Farkhanda Zia from International Islamic University, Islamabad and Nayla Chouhan Ex-Ambassador of Pakistan.
While addressing Dr Samia said that there is a lot of scepticism about women’s rights in our society and somehow, they are linked to a religion that has nothing to do with. She said that Islam is the only religion in the world that gives a woman the highest respect and high status in society which is evident from placing paradise under the footsteps of a woman.
Dr Farkhanda and Nayla Chouhan Dr Farkhunda and Ms Naila, while discussing the rights of females in their speeches, also urged them to not put their responsibilities behind in the pursuit of their rights. They urged the students for pursuing their higher education and start their businesses or jobs which is allowed by Islam and the religion is full of women businesswomen. Thanking all the participants, especially the distinguished guest, Afshan Qamar, ended the seminar by referring to the famous saying of Napoleon “give me an educated mother, I shall promise you the birth of a civilized, educated nation”.
For more information, contact:
Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
Shamsabad, Muree Road Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-051-9290466
Fax: +92-051-9290459
Email: registrar@uaar.edu.pk
Website: www.uaar.edu.pk