New secretary briefed on education projects

Islamabad

New secretary of the Capital Administration and Development Division Nargis Ghaloo attended a briefing on the Federal Directorate of Education’s affairs and the prime minister’s educational reforms programme underway in the Islamabad Capital Territory.

Nargis Ghaloo had become the secretary, the top administrative and financial boss at the CADD overseeing Islamabad’s educational and health institutions in the post-devolution regime, two weeks ago after state minister for the CADD Tariq Fazal Chaudhry got Hasan Iqbal transferred by involving the prime minister’s office over ‘non-cooperation and defiance’.

During the meeting, which took place at the CADD, FDE director general Dr Shahnaz A Riaz informed the secretary about the ongoing and future educational projects for ICT, including the prime minister’s educational reforms programme.

She also highlighted the administrative and financial issues facing her organisation and suggested corrective measures.

The secretary promised the possible support and cooperation for the smooth execution of the projects.

The meeting was also attended by the relevant CADD officials and FDE director (planning and development) Taj Bhatti, director (budget) Tahir Mustafa, director (colleges) Rao Zulfiqar and assistant director (information technology) Tariq Khan.

Book: Dr. Fouzia Farooq Ahmed, Lecturer at the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), has authored a new book about the Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526) based on her doctoral dissertation from the Quaid-i-Azam University, Department of History.

The Delhi Sultanate has long remained the epicenter of controversies that have direct bearing on Hindu-Muslim relations and politics in contemporary South Asia. For many South Asians, this era is a lightning rod for debates on communalism and religious identity.

In her new book titled ‘Muslim Rule in Medieval India: Power and Religion in the Delhi Sultanate’ (London: I. B. Tauris, 2016), Dr. Fouzia postulates a schematic design of the Delhi Sultanate, by focusing on the phenomena of political instability and the relationship between rulers, bureaucracy and the ruled. The book critically examines the practical dynamics of medieval Muslim political culture and its reception in the local environs. This work suggests that sultans lacked meaningful political authority among the masses and that symbols of legitimacy were post hoc socio-cultural embellishments that did not warrant peaceful compliance by the ruled.

Dr. Fouzia Farooq Ahmed was also Mellon Carnegie Junior Research Fellow at Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (2014-2016) for its flagship project the Historical Atlas of the Islamic World. This major international research project is concerned with the intellectual roots of Muslim civilization and social movements in the Islamic world. It will provide a comprehensive multivolume Historical Atlas of the Islamic World. The Leverhulme Trust (UK) the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (USA) and the Carnegie Corporation of New York (USA) have supported this project. The Atlas will be published by Oxford University Press (New York).