IPS hosted a delegation of scholars from the ‘Raabta’ program of Karachi-based Research Academy for Higher Education and Technology (Darul Ilm-wal-Tehqeeq), Karachi, on June 13, 2023. The delegation, led by Dr Syed Aziz-ur-Rahman, included teachers and scholars who have acquired research degrees after completing their madrassa education.
The interaction of Prof Dr Fakhrul Islam, director research & academic outreach, IPS, and Syed Nadeem Farhat, research fellow, IPS, with the delegates was divided in two parts: a talk by Prof Dr Fakhrul Islam on research and policy processes, and a discussion on gender issues and agnosticism among youth.
In the first part, Dr Fakhrul Islam apprised the scholars that the objective of a research study should be to bring solutions to a problem. A research scholar must be aware of international, national, regional, and institutional problems as well as strive to bring attention and solution through knowledge and research.
Adding to this, he said that prevalent shortcomings in the legislative process in Pakistan is a major reason that many issues are left unaddressed. It is because legislators are often unaware even of the contents of a bill that they approve. As a result, laws and policies are made without any prior deliberation or counsel. As a social responsibility, the society at large and relevant stakeholders, including research organizations, religious scholars, teachers, academicians, and legislators, who are in a role to shape the minds of young people, must keep a watch on detrimental developments and raise a voice against them.
In the second part, a discussion was held with scholars on how to navigate solution to contemporary problems such as gender issues and agnosticism among youth.
At the end, Dr Syed Aziz-ur-Rahman thanked IPS for hosting the scholars and providing a platform for insightful discussion and exchange of ideas.
