Speakers at the Sixth International Conference on “Advances in Biosciences” emphasized the significance of interdisciplinary research and innovation in addressing global challenges and improving quality of life. The two-day conference was organized by the Dr. Ikram ul Haq Institute of Biotechnology at the Government College University (GCU) Lahore. Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ahmad Adnan chaired the inaugural session, which was addressed by eminent experts in the field, including Professor Dr. Anwar Malik, President of the Biological Society of Pakistan.

In his opening remarks, Professor Dr. Ikram ul Haq S.I, the Secretary General of the Biological Society of Pakistan, noted the overwhelming response to the call for research papers for the conference, with 128 submissions from universities and research institutions nationally and internationally.

In his keynote address, the former federal minister on food security, Prof. Dr. Kauser Abdullah Malik, reflected on the historical significance of the Pakistan Biological Society and its enduring presence as one of the country’s oldest scientific societies. Dr. Malik praised the expertise in biological sciences cultivated in Pakistan through a period of liberalization and strong government support, which led to significant capacity building and the development of skilled professionals across the country.

Professor Dr. Anwar Malik also highlighted the pivotal role of the Biological Society of Pakistan, championing scientific inquiry and collaboration since its establishment in 1955. He envisioned the conference as a platform for exchange, innovation, and friendly competition among peers, noting revolutionary advancements in biological sciences, from genetic research editing technology to the innovative applications of artificial intelligence in bioinformatics, opening limitless possibilities.

Dr. Malik emphasized the potential for developing resilient crops, personalized medicine, innovative drug delivery systems, and solutions for pollution mitigation and ecosystem restoration. Highlighting the power of collaboration across borders and disciplines, Dr. Malik emphasized the collective knowledge and efforts needed to address the grand challenges facing humanity. He encouraged attendees to ignite their passions, spark new ideas, and forge lasting connections throughout the conference.

Concluding the event, Professor Dr. M. Nauman Aftab, Director of the Dr. Ikram ul Haq Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all participants, organizers, and sponsors for their contributions to the success of the conference.

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In a bid to address the pressing issue of youth unemployment in Pakistan, Punjab University (PU) Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood, underscored the importance of producing skilled youth aligned with emerging trends in relevant fields. Speaking at an awareness seminar organized by the Transport & Masstransit Department, Government of Punjab, and Bank of Punjab, Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood highlighted the pivotal role universities play in shaping the future workforce.

The seminar, held at the PU Institute of Education and Research’s Waheed Shaheed Hall, aimed to shed light on the provision of motorbikes to students under the Chief Minister’s Youth Initiative. Present at the event were key figures including Secretary Transport Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi, Registrar Dr Ahmad Islam, Director Students Affairs Dr Muhammad Ali Klasra, and Director General Information Technology Dr Kamran Abid, alongside faculty members, officials from PHEC, PITB, Punjab Bank, and a multitude of students.

Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood commended the government’s initiatives, particularly highlighting the significance of schemes such as the laptop distribution program, free internet access, and now, the e-bike scheme, all implemented with stringent merit criteria. He emphasized the need for such initiatives to cater to the increasing student population and address transportation challenges faced by the university, particularly underscoring the benefit for female students.

Secretary Transport Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that facilitating education for young students is essential for the future prosperity of Pakistan. He reiterated the government’s commitment to providing ease of access to education and ensuring quality learning environments. Dr Qazi emphasized the interest-free and easily accessible nature of the scheme, aligning with the vision of the Chief Minister Punjab.

During the seminar, Dr Wasim provided detailed insights into the intricacies of the scheme, further emphasizing its potential impact on student welfare and educational accessibility.

The event concluded with a resounding call for students to seize the opportunities provided by such schemes, thereby contributing to the nation’s development through acquiring expertise in their respective fields.

With initiatives like these, stakeholders aim to not only empower the youth but also pave the way for a brighter and more prosperous future for Pakistan.

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Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) and Peoples Commission for Minorities Rights (PCMR) organized a conference on “Fulfilling the Dream of Free & Compulsory Education (Article 25-A of the constitution of Pakistan)” wherein speakers urged the government to engage relevant stakeholders, including independent education policy experts in policy-making process to develop comprehensive education policy that addresses education-related issues. Peter Jacob, Dr. A. H. Nayyar, Dr. Baela Raza Jamil, Dr. Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, Dr. Yaqoob Khan Bangash, Saqib Jillani Advocate, Raza Ali Advocate, Dr. Uzma Ashiq Khan, Abida Mukhtar, Faaria Khan, and Shafaq Minhas were among the speakers, while the provincial minister for school education Punjab, Rana Sikander Hayat also addressed the conference.

Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Rana Sikander Hayat said that the government is committed to investing more funds in education, which will be used to improve the quality of early childhood education, enhance access to technology in schools, and elevate the standard of teachers training. He reiterated that the Ministry of Education will empower school management councils to effectively address education-related issues, and introduce reforms to promote social cohesion and ensure equal learning opportunities for all students.

The executive director at CSJ, Peter Jacob highlighted the challenges stemming from institutional disconnect and policy vacuum caused by a lack of coherence in policy decisions and a lack of coordination among relevant public bodies. He acknowledged the announcement of an education emergency and emphasized the need for clear strategies and measures to address the barriers and gaps in achieving the goal of inclusive and equitable quality education. He observed that the involvement of relevant stakeholders including independent experts in education policy and human rights is crucial in developing goals, targets, and actions for the upcoming education policy.

Dr. Baela Raza Jamil expressed concern over the learning loss experienced by children in Pakistan, attributing to inadequate funding provided by duty bearers, and the lack of approval of rules of business, which hampers the implementation of federal and provincial laws related to the right to free and compulsory education guaranteed in Article 25-A of the constitution of Pakistan. She said that the government needs to prioritize early childhood education to improve learning outcomes and language skills among children, and stressed engaging authentic stakeholders in the policy-making process to develop genuine solutions tailored to address education-related issues within the specific context.

Dr. A. H. Nayyar stated that a predominant religion-specific content is present in textbooks that promotes a certain ideology which is a violation of Article 22 (1) of the Constitution of Pakistan. He said that the government needs to abolish textbook boards, and offer multiple textbooks from private publishers to enhance the quality of learning, teaching, and examination, which would foster critical thinking and creative writing skills among students and teachers.

Dr. Riaz Ahmed Shaikh said that the quality of education suffers due to a lack of harmony in policy goals and policy actions introduced to influence the worldview of our nation. He lamented that the inadequate allocation of resources for education and non-scientific educational culture contributes to the decline in education standards. He emphasized the reversal of regressive policy decisions to bring the focus back on fact-based quality content in textbooks to promote a more balanced and informed educational curriculum

Dr. Yaqoob Khan Bangash emphasized the importance of imparting education in the right manner, cautioning that low-quality education can be more detrimental than receiving no education at all. He expressed concerns about the promotion of certain ideologies in textbooks noting that this compromises the overall quality of education. He underscored the need to transfer the responsibility of education to universities by abolishing the examination boards, which would ultimately lead to significant improvements in the education system in the long run.

Saqib Jilani Advocate underscored the government’s obligation to provide free education, including textbooks, transportation, meals, and stipends to prevent children from engaging in child labor. He announced that he intends to file a petition in the Supreme Court under Article 184 (3) to ensure the implementation of the fundamental right to education, guaranteed in Article 25 (A) of the constitution of Pakistan.

Raza Ali Advocate said that the single national curriculum (SNC) is a craft of the National Curriculum Council (NCC), which lacks legal authority, instead, the Council of Common Interest (CCI) is authorized to make such decisions under the 18^th Amendment to the constitution of Pakistan. He highlighted an ongoing petition in Lahore High Court, that challenged the SNC, an extra-constitutional policy decision made by a non-statutory body, NCC.

Abida Mukhtar expressed concerns voiced by the parents of children regarding the single national curriculum, and the religious material in all textbooks particularly due to the involvement of the Punjab Ulema Board (PUB) in approving textbook content published by Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Boards. She mentioned that the parents filed a petition in the Lahore High Court challenging the regressive and unconstitutional policy decision to assert their children’s right to quality education.

Shafaq Mihnas shared the findings of the content analysis based on 130 textbooks published by federal and provincial boards that carry texts and images specific to a majority religion in books of all subjects including languages and social studies, and portray males and females in culturally assigned conventional roles.

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In their commitment towards achieving SDG 2 i.e. Zero Hunger and enhancing food security, The National Agriculture Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC), in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), organized a 2 day National Consultation Workshop on Introducing New Courses on Food System Transformation in Pakistan.

Pakistani Universities and Higher Educational Institutions convened to discuss the critical need for the integration of Food Systems and Food Systems Transformation into the curriculum of Pakistan’s universities, focusing on agriculture and food sciences.

At the workshop’s opening, Prof. Dr. Fayyaz-ul Hassan Sahi, Chairman of the National Agricultural Education Accreditation Council (NAEAC), emphasized the crucial role of academia and NAEAC in enhancing understanding of food systems and transforming Pakistan’s food systems. He expressed strong support and technical guidance from NAEAC to make this possible and highlighted the alignment of these efforts with NAEAC’s vision to improve academic curriculum of agriculture and food science related degree programs.

Farrah Naz, Country Director at GAIN, discussed the importance of adopting robust approaches to improve understanding of food systems and their transformation. She emphasized the role of NAEAC, HEC, and PARC as key partners in creating an enabling environment for food systems transformation and improving food security in the country.

Faiz Rasool, Head of Policy & Advocacy at GAIN, outlined the key objectives of the workshop, including designing innovative curriculum modules, providing faculty training, and promoting interdisciplinary research collaborations to address food systems challenges.

Dr. Ghulam Sadiq Afridi, Member Social Sciences Division (PARC), highlighted the significance of advocating for food systems transformation in higher education and beyond. He emphasized the need for a robust framework to assess the impact of curriculum changes and educational initiatives, as well as the importance of tools like the Pakistan Food Systems Dashboard.

The chief guest, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Chairman of PARC, emphasized the workshop’s role in bringing together stakeholders such as academia, government, non-governmental organizations, and international partners to discuss course outlines, finalize action plans, and ensure alignment with national and international standards.

The workshop serves as a platform for collaboration among academia, government, NGOs, and international partners to drive progress in food systems transformation aligned with Pakistan’s priorities and global goals.

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Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev has inaugurated renovated and upgraded classrooms for teaching and promoting Russian language in Punjab University (PU). Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. Khalid Mahmood welcomed the Russian ambassador. The Russian delegation included Head of Russian House in Pakistan Mr Ruslan M. Prokhorove and others while Principal Oriental College Prof Dr. Nabila Rehman, Director Institute of Languages and Linguistics Dr. Hafiz Muqit, Assistant Professor Russian Language Dr. Ekaterina Gavrishchuk and faculty members were present on this occasion.

The classrooms were upgraded with the funding from the Russian government institution i.e Federal Agency of the Russian Federation under “Rossotrudnichestvo” project, which has provided a large-scale modernization of Russian language classes located in all countries of the world as part of the international humanitarian program.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr Khorev said Russia and Pakistan have excellent relations. He said that Russia is promoting economic relations with Pakistan and for the first time Pakistan-Russia trade volume has crossed $1 billion mark. He said that there is a need to promote cooperation between Russian and Pakistani institutions in many fields. He said that Lahore and Punjab University will play a key role in promoting Pakistan-Russia relations. He said that Russian language centers have also been set up in Karachi and Sargodha.

He said that he would support the promotion of comparative analysis of Pakistani and Russian literature for better understanding of each other. He also stressed the need to promote cultural relations between Pakistan and Russia. He thanked Punjab University for promoting Russian language. Vice-Chancellor Dr. Khalid Mehmood said that he wants to promote academic relations with Russian universities. He said that teachers and students of Punjab University have also visited People’s Friendship University in Moscow in the recent past. He said that PU will cooperate in promoting relations with Russia at all levels.

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