KMU hosts Seminar on Building Resilient Youth Communities for a Peaceful and Prosperous Pakistan

A one-day national seminar titled “Building Resilient Youth Communities for a Peaceful and Prosperous Pakistan” was held at Khyber Medical University (KMU) Peshawar, organized by the Paigham-e-Pakistan Centre for Peace, Reconciliation, and Reconstruction Studies of the Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI).

The seminar was chaired by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zia Ul Haq, Director General of the Islamic Research Institute and National Coordinator of the Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative. Key speakers included Pro-Vice Chancellor KMU Prof. Dr. Rubina Nazli, Dr. Ayaz Khan, and Prof. Dr. Inayat Shah, Director, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (IBMS), KMU. A large number of faculty members and students attended the seminar.

In his presidential address, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul Haq described youth as the true asset of the country. He said: "We want to see our youth as ambassadors of peace. To put society on the path of development and prosperity, it is essential to channel the positive energy and constructive mindset of the youth." He added that Europe, once devastated by two world wars, is now counted among the world’s most developed regions because it embraced peace, education, and tolerance. "The role of universities should not be limited to imparting education alone; they must serve as centers for promoting peace, tolerance, and progress," he emphasized.

Dr. Zia Ul Haq noted that Pakistan faced severe challenges immediately after its creation, yet during the 1950s and 60s, it even extended financial support to countries like Japan and Germany. "After the 1990s, we began to face intellectual and ideological decline. Today, our greatest responsibility is to turn the despair among our youth into hope and to foster an environment of love, tolerance, and dialogue instead of hatred," he stated. He further highlighted that the Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative, launched in 2017, continues to engage academic institutions across the country in the fight against extremism, sectarianism, and intolerance through intellectual and scholarly efforts.

Dr. Ayaz Khan and Prof. Dr. Rubina Nazli also addressed the seminar. They pointed out that violence, unrest, and drug abuse have had the most devastating impact on the youth. "Social media must play a positive role in this regard. Our real salvation lies in understanding and practicing the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah," they emphasized. At the conclusion of the seminar, the speakers reaffirmed their commitment to expand Paigham-e-Pakistan’s outreach and to strengthen efforts for the intellectual training of youth, national unity, and the establishment of a peaceful society.