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KPK
VC Prof.Dr Razia Sultana Leads WUM Independence Day Celebrations
PROVINCE REPORT
MARDAN: Women University Mardan (WUM) celebrated Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day with patriotic zeal at its Shankar Campus, reaffirming its commitment to education, national unity, women’s empowerment and a progressive Pakistan.
The celebrations commenced with a flag-hoisting ceremony and the national anthem, followed by cake-cutting. Students and faculty members, dressed in green and white, participated enthusiastically and presented mili naghmay to pay tribute to the sacrifices of the nation’s founders.
The programme featured academic, cultural and sports activities, including Urdu and English speech competitions, mili naghmay, quizzes, a cultural folk-dress show and various sports activities. Cultural and thematic stalls were also arranged by students and faculty, showcasing Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage, traditions and diversity.
Provincial Minister for Revenue and Estate, Mr. Tariq Mehmood Aryani, attended as the Chief Guest, while Deputy Commissioner Mardan, Mr. Wasif Rehman, was the Guest of Honour. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Aryani said the nation must rise above linguistic, group and sectarian divisions and move forward collectively to achieve the true objectives of independence. He stressed that education and national unity were essential for building a free, prosperous and developed Pakistan.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Razia Sultana appreciated the enthusiasm and participation of the female students and highlighted the vital role of education in national development. She said universities were centres of knowledge and awareness and emphasized that women must be brought into the mainstream of national development. Quoting the maxim, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a whole generation,” she said WUM was making significant strides in education, research and academic development.
The Monsoon Plantation Drive under the “One Person, One Plant” initiative, led by Mr. Kamran Khan and his team, were formally inaugurated by Chief Guest Mr. Tariq Mehmood Aryani, who, along with the Vice Chancellor, Guest of Honour and other dignitaries, planted saplings at Shankar Campus. A substantial number of plants were donated by the faculty and staff of WUM, while representatives of the Forest Department also contributed plants to accelerate the greening of the campus.
The Book Fair, organized by the Central Library, was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Jamshed Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Buner, along with Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Razia Sultana and other dignitaries. The guests visited the book fair as well as various cultural and other stalls arranged by the faculty and students and appreciated their efforts and participation.
The Chief Guest distributed certificates and prizes among female students securing top positions in different departments. An MoU was also signed between the Department of Zoology, Women University Mardan, and Black Horse International to promote cooperation in relevant areas.
Distinguished guests included Prof. Dr. Jamshed Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Buner; Dr. Aurangzeb Khan and Dr. Fazle Sattar from Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM); Mr. Laiq Zaman, Former Member, Public Service Commission, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Mr. Numan Ahmad, Regional Director, HEC, Peshawar; Mr. Arshad Kamran, former HEC Regional Director; Ms. Maria Mustafa, SP Investigation Mardan; Mr. Nasrullah Khan, Horticulturist; Ms. Nazia Shah, Former President, Mardan Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Shakir Khan, SDFO; and Mr. Sajjad Khan, SDFO Mardan, along with other academics, dignitaries, faculty members, staff and students.
The event was organized by Dr. Nelofer Ikram, Focal Person of the event, with the help and support of other members of the organizing team. The celebrations concluded with a pledge to build a progressive, inclusive and resilient Pakistan founded on equality, justice, education and national unity.
National
Imrana Wazir Leads DEMP Independence Day Painting Competition
PROVINCE REPORT
ISLAMABAD: The Directorate of Electronic Media and Publications (DEMP), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, organised a painting competition at the Information Services Academy (ISA) here on Thursday to mark Pakistan’s 78th Independence Anniversary. The event featured a painting competition, visual displays and screening of a special documentary produced by DEMP, highlighting Pakistan’s history, national identity, achievements and journey since independence. A national song produced by DEMP and sung by renowned singer Sahir Ali Bagga was also played on the occasion.
In her welcome remarks, Executive Director General DEMP Imrana Wazir welcomed Federal Secretary Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Ashfaq Ahmed Khalil, senior officers, officials, media representatives and participating students. She highlighted the significance of Independence Day as an occasion to remember the historic struggle and sacrifices that led to the creation of Pakistan. She appreciated the students’ participation in the painting competition, saying their creative expressions reflected their perspectives, hopes and aspirations for the country.
Addressing the ceremony, Federal Secretary, Ashfaq Ahmed Khalil said that Marka-e-Haq and the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement were a testament to Pakistan’s resilience, confidence in its sovereignty and commitment to regional peace and stability. He emphasised the responsibility of the Ministry and its attached departments to preserve Pakistan’s national memory and communicate its history, culture, identity and achievements through photographs, publications, films, documentaries and exhibitions. Appreciating DEMP’s contribution, the Secretary said the material documented and presented through such initiatives would serve as a valuable record for future generations and help preserve the national story for posterity. The ceremony commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran and the National Anthem, followed by the screening of DEMP’s special documentary, “Pakistan: The Journey Continues,” which highlighted significant milestones, achievements and the country’s journey since its creation.
The paintings displayed at the event were submitted and selected through the DEMP competition, with students from various educational institutions expressing their thoughts and perspectives on Pakistan through art.
Tanzila Shahid secured first position, Ayesha Zahid second, Eman Akbar third and Christina Jhon fourth. Consolation awards were presented to Arda Haris, Umm-e-Hani, Yousma Nadeem, Wahab Qureshi and Safa Asif.
The Secretary distributed certificates and awards among the winners and participants.
The event concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony, reaffirming the spirit of unity, faith and discipline and the collective commitment to building a stronger, peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.
