‘Scientific research can help resolve social issues’

LAHORE: Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairman Prof Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin has said that our social issues cannot be resolved and Kasur like incidents cannot be prevented unless we do scientific research on social issues.

He stated this while addressing a meeting of heads of departments and professors of Punjab University at Al-Raazi Hall Monday. The meeting was convened by PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Zakria Zakir for brainstorming on role of academia in creating awareness against child abuse.

Prof Zakria Zakir, deans of various faculties and heads of departments were present on the occasion. Addressing the meeting, Dr Nizamuddin said we must do research on socio-cultural issues using scientific method in an objective way for better understanding of human rights. He said we must know about real issues and existing situations through research; however, there were different taboos in our society and we could not openly discuss various topics. He said such barriers should be removed from our society.

Dr Nizam said the concept of human rights had actually come from the speech of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) on the occasion of “Hajjatul Wida”, not from the West. He said we needed to understand family values and give training to our parents, teachers and students in order to cope with such incidents. He said we needed to define extremism and we must point out reasons behind it. He said PHEC would provide funding for such research projects.

Prof Zakria Zakir said Kasur like incidents were happening in all the countries of the world and this was a global issue. He said PU would conduct multi-disciplinary research on this issue since it was a matter of our survival. He said PU, after conducting scientific research, would provide policy guidelines to the government and would play its role in sensitising civil society and media in this regard. He said there was a need to promote linkages between societies and universities and PU would play leading role in resolving such issues. He said PU administration had also sent a team of social and psychological experts to Kasur for scientific investigations and creating awareness. Later, various heads of departments presented their proposals to resolve such issues.