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.
