ISLAMABAD: Egyptian Grand Mufti Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayad announced Friday Al-Azhar University, a renowned center of Islamic learning, plans to establish a campus in Pakistan, a move welcomed by Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, who pledged full government support during their meeting in Islamabad.
Founded in Cairo in 970 CE, Al-Azhar is celebrated for its rigorous scholarship in Islamic theology, jurisprudence, Arabic studies and modern sciences. With a legacy spanning over a millennium, the university is a key authority on Islamic thought and attracts students globally.
The discussion on branching out into Pakistan took place during a meeting between the two officials, which was also attended by the Egyptian ambassador to Pakistan.
“Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayad, Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of Egypt, thanked the federal minister for his warm welcome and said that Al-Azhar University will establish its campus in Pakistan,” read an official statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Federal Education.
“He said it is important that people learn the Arabic language to understand the true teachings of Islam,” it continued.
The Pakistani minister highlighted the deep cultural and historical ties his country shared with Egypt, both of which, he noted, were part of the world’s oldest civilizations. Siddiqui described Al-Azhar University as a beacon of Islamic scholarship, expressing his aspiration to visit the institution in Cairo.
During the meeting, he also highlighted Pakistan’s upcoming International Girls Conference, scheduled for January 11-12, which aims to promote girls’ education in Islamic countries.
“It is a misconception that Islam does not allow women’s education,” Siddiqui said, emphasizing Pakistan’s commitment to ensuring equal educational opportunities for women.
The Grand Mufti noted that over 40 percent of Al-Azhar University’s students were female. He also encouraged Pakistan to send scholars to Egypt to benefit from the institution’s expertise.
Al-Azhar’s operations are primarily based in Egypt, where it has campuses in several cities. Internationally, the university extends its influence by offering scholarships to students who disseminate its teachings upon returning to their home countries.
The university has also collaborated with educational institutions worldwide and established cultural centers to promote Islamic studies and the Arabic language.
In 2022, Pakistan’s late religious affairs minister, Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, announced plans to open a campus in Lahore.
The initiative, which included Al-Azhar providing faculty, curriculum and textbooks, was to be administratively managed by Pakistan.
Al-Azhar University to establish campus in Pakistan, says Egyptian grand mufti
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Al-Azhar University to establish campus in Pakistan, says Egyptian grand mufti
- Founded in 970 CE, Al-Azhar is known for its scholarship in theology, jurisprudence and Arabic studies
- The grand mufti also asked Pakistan to send scholars to Egypt to benefit from the institution’s expertise
Crowds worldwide rage or celebrate after Iran strikes, 23 killed in Pakistan
- At least 10 were killed in Karachi, 11 in northern city of Skardu and two in Islamabad during violent clashes between protesters and law enforcers
- In other parts of the world, such as Paris, Iranian exiles take to the streets to celebrate the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
KARACHI, Pakistan/BAGHDAD: Demonstrations against the US-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran turned violent in Pakistan and Iraq on Sunday, while in other parts of the world Iranian exiles took to the streets to celebrate the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
At least 23 protesters were killed in clashes in Pakistan, including 10 in the port of Karachi where security guards at the US consulate fired on demonstrators who breached the outer wall, 11 in the northern city of Skardu where the crowd torched a UN office, and two in Islamabad.
In Iraq, police fired tear gas and stun grenades to scatter hundreds of pro-Iranian protesters who had gathered outside the Green Zone diplomatic compound in the capital Baghdad, where the US embassy is located.
But in Paris, a joyous crowd of thousands turned out to celebrate, waving flags of Iran’s pre-revolutionary monarchy, some carrying red roses and bottles of champagne.
Iran’s neighbors to the east and west, Pakistan and Iraq have the world’s largest Shia Muslim populations after Iran, and were the scenes of some of the worst unrest from crowds angry at the US-Israeli attacks.
Protesters in Karachi chanted “Death to America! Death to Israel!” at the consulate, where Reuters reporters heard gunfire and saw tear gas fired in surrounding streets.
Consulate security staff opened fire at a crowd who were pushed back after breaching the outer security layer, said Sukhdev Assardas Hemnani, a local government spokesman. The demonstrators also set a vehicle ablaze outside the main gate and clashed with police, he said.
“We are in constant touch with consulate officials. They are all safe,” Hemnani added.
The US Embassy in Islamabad said in a post on X it was monitoring reports of demonstrations and advised US citizens to observe good personal security practices. The consulate in Karachi and embassy in Islamabad did not respond to Reuters requests for further comment.
Thirty-four people were injured, police said. Karachi’s Civil Hospital said all those killed and injured were hit with gunshots. The provincial government of Sindh ordered an inquiry.
UN OFFICE SET ON FIRE
Skardu, where the UN building was set ablaze, is in Gilgit Baltistan in the north, the only region administered by Pakistan where Shias are the plurality.
“A large number of protesters have gathered outside the UN office and burned down the building,” local government spokesperson Shabbir Mir told Reuters. The figure of 11 killed was provided by a government official and an intelligence official, both on condition of anonymity.
Protesters also took to the streets in other parts of Pakistan, carrying black flags and chanting “Down with America!” and anti-Israel slogans. In the central city of Lahore, police said hundreds gathered outside the US consulate. There were some small-scale clashes with police, who fired tear gas.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi urged protesters to remain peaceful. “We stand with you,” he said, adding that every Pakistani was as grief-stricken as the people of Iran.
In the capital Islamabad, all roads leading to the Red Zone, which houses diplomatic missions were blocked to traffic, police said. Police fired tear gas and live bullets when thousands of protesters tried to march toward the diplomatic enclave, killing two and injuring nearly 10, two officials said on condition of anonymity.
Elsewhere, protests took place in countries where Iran has influence. In Kano, a part of Nigeria with a sizable Shia Muslim minority, thousands marched peacefully, waving Iranian flags and pictures of Khamenei.
But in Western countries and other areas with large populations of Iranian exiles, many came out to celebrate.
In the crowd in Paris, some people held aloft portraits of loved ones killed under decades of Iran’s clerical rule. Others waved flags of Israel, the United States and France.
In Lisbon, exiled Iranians gathered outside the Iranian embassy.
“We had a party last night, up to 3 a.m. We danced, we chanted, we sang and sang, and that was really amazing,” said Maximilien Jazani, 57. Iranians “want to go to vote and to choose the kind of government they want.”
