LAHORE - Besides educating women, Urdu should be declared the medium of instruction that is also the requirement of the 1973 Constitution. Kalabagh Dam must be constructed to resolve energy crisis.
It was the upshots of the discussions during the 6th annual 3-day Nazaria-i-Pakistan Conference group discussions held at the Aiwan-i-Karkunaan-i-Tehreek-i-Pakistan, Lahore under the aegis of the Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust.
Group discussions on various subjects were held and compiled their recommendations. The key subject of these group discussions was “The Course of Action for Transforming Pakistan into a Modern Islamic, Welfare and Democratic State”. Justice (r) Munir Ahmad Mughal was the Chief Coordinator and Prof Dr Parveen Khan and Prof Haleema Sa’adia acted as assistants.
The participants of a group discussed “How to Promote Our National Language, Urdu” with Syed Azhar Maqbol Shah Advocate in the chair and Prof Rizwan-ul-Haque as coordinator. It said that translation houses should be established to translate science subjects into Urdu. Proper arrangements should be made to promote the contemporary artistic activities in schools. English should be made an optional subject, abolishing it as a compulsory subject. Following the UNO Charter, the mother language should be adopted as the medium of instruction up to the primary level.
Another group discussed “The Women’s Role in the Propagation and Dissemination of the Islamic and High Moral Values in Pakistan” with Justice (r) Munir Ahmad Mughal in the chair and Rafeea Naheed Ikram as Coordinator. The importance of moral training cannot be over-emphasised in transforming the students into responsible future citizens. The students must be persuaded to watch TV programmes that are suitable and appropriate to their age, keeping them away from the programmes that preach Indian culture.
They should be persuaded to become well-versed in the life and services of our great heroes and the Two-Nation Theory, which must be made on integral part of the curriculum. “We must guard our Islamic and national values and take pride in our past and present accomplishments,” they held.
Another discussion titled “The women’s education can bring about a revolution in the society” held with Begum Mehnaz Rafi in the chair and Uzma Sabahat Qureshi as coordinator. The group recommended that the educated mothers can keep their children on the right track. A uniform curriculum should be enforced in the country. The quota for educated women in the services must be enhanced.
A group discussed “The Relations of Pakistan with the Islamic Countries and the International Political Scene” with Dr Iqbal Chawla in the chair and Professor Ma’az Janbaz as Co-ordinator. They recommended that Pakistan must accord top priority to its own national interests while framing its foreign policy. It is imperative to strictly follow the teachings of the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
The Islamic countries must forge unity among themselves, which was demonstrated only once when the Islamic Summit Conference was held. The result was that the outstanding leaders including Shah Faisal, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Muammar Gaddafi were got assassinated by the powers afraid of Muslim Unity. Sectarianism is extremely detrimental to the survival and preservation of the Islamic countries. It must not be allowed to enter into our internal affairs as well as in our relations with the other Islamic countries. Pakistan should also desist from interfering into the internal affairs of the neighbouring Islamic countries. The continuity in the democratic process is necessary for the continuity in our foreign policy. Pakistan stands in need of courageous leadership. A single currency should be introduced in all the Islamic countries.
The theme a group was “The Present Curriculum and the Requirements of the Ideology of Pakistan” with Dr. Muhammad Ajmal Niazi in the chair and Prof. Muhammad Mazhar Alam as Co-ordinator. This group said that a uniform curriculum should be prepared and enforced in all the educational institutions of the country. The abolition of Pakistan Studies as a subject up to class 8 is regrettable.
A group discussed the theme “The Need for Taking Solid Measures to Prevent the Water Aggression of India” with Engr Mumtaz Ahmad Khan in the chair and Major(r) Siddique Rehan as the co-ordinator. The recommendations presented by the were that they blamed Gen Ayub Khan for making the Indus Water Treaty-1960 but did not  allow the construction of the Mangla Dam. India is interfering in our internal affairs and inciting insurgency in our country but we are fond of granting it favours. The entire nation must get united to build the Kala Bagh Dam.
A group discussed the theme “How to Resolve the Energy Crisis” with Ch Naeem Hussain Chattha in the chair and Prof. Muhammad Shafique Khokhar as the co-ordinator. The group presented the following recommendations: The Kala Bagh Dam project must be started at once. The other ways of producing electricity must also be explored using solar, coal and wind energy. Electricity should be used economically. The capacity of Mangla Dam should be enhanced. New dams should be built to attain self-sufficiency.
The members discussed the theme “Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s, Concept of Nationality and the Muslim Ummah” with Prof Muhammad Hanif Shahid in the chair and Prof Ch Qudrat Ali as the co-ordinator. This group presented the following recommendation: “Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s Persian poetry should be translated into Urdu and made part of the curriculum. The predominant part of the poetry of Allama Muhammad Iqbal should be included in the curriculum for the secondary and higher secondary classes.