Ceremony organized by International Club

Pakistan is a developed country with respect to religious freedom, vibrant media, cultural upbringing, and Agricultural productivity that can help the Afghan youth to learn the secrets leading the country towards food self-sufficiency and prosperity. This was stated by Member Afghan Parliament and Speaker of Afghan Peace Council Molana Shehzada Shahid while addressing the participants of an event organized by UAF International Club here on Tuesday morning. Molana Shehzada Shahid praised the Pakistani people for extending all out help in the time of Russian invasion and latter in civil war. He said his country considers Pakistan a vibrant member of the Islamic club that bounds the whole Muslim world in one thread. He acknowledged Pakistan’s progress in higher education and felicitated the UAF management for getting place in the top universities of the world by QS and NTU rankings. UAF VC Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan said Afghanistan being an active member of the SAARC, and playing its role in bringing peace in the region. Dr. Khan said university earned highest appreciations for its international students as graduates of UAF were performing very active role in transforming the Afghan Agriculture and providing leadership to the Afghan government. He told that alumni are a powerful tool to shun the misperceptions faced by both counties and could bring the people of brotherly countries closer to each other. He said region was working for bringing durable peace and Afghanistan could play a role through making itself food secured by involving Agri graduates in formulating the Agriculture policy of the country that would lead the region towards ultimate goal of peace and stability. Dr. Khan said UAF was creating bridges to enable its students get diverse education, skills and communication tools to become real agent of change in their respective domain. He said UAF was a vibrant player of various global programs as it has become partner of a German, Australian, and US programs. “A trilateral commission of Pakistan, Afghanistan and US was also working on food security, water and creating trade corridors that would also help enhancing productivity and prosperity in the region” he added. Cultural Attaché at Afghan Embassy Mr. Shamash Zardast lauded the Pakistani contribution in providing excellent higher education facilities to the Afghan brothers and sisters adding that during the last two years the number of Afghan students in Pakistani Institutions raised from 2 thousands to 8 thousands. Shamash Zardast said Afghanistan has made substantial progress in higher education as number of students involve in higher education reached to 0.6 million in 2013 from only five thousands in 2001. He said his government was considering investment on higher education on its priority that would certainly bring prosperity and economic well being in the country. Dr. Muhammad Younas Principal Officer Students’ Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Tahir Siddique Advisor Foreign Students, Mr. Ubaid Ullah President International Club, and Mr. Shams ud Din Shamash also spoke on the occasion.