FJWU convocation: Women graduates urged to join workforce

Doctorate in environmental sciences among several degrees awarded

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Governor Muhammad Rafique Rajwana has urged women graduates to enter the workforce and high professions instead of staying at home.

“Pakistan needs women in its workforce, so I request all graduating students to utilise their degrees in different fields,” he said while speaking at the 15th convocation of the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) Rawalpindi held at Convention Centre in Islamabad on Friday.

A distinct sense of pride was felt as women graduates walked down the stage wearing green gowns and hats holding degrees in their hands.

Ranjwana, who is also Chancellor of the FJWU, said that education was the key to prosperity, personal achievement, and societal well-being. “However, education need not be seen in the narrow context of acquiring knowledge or skills alone, but in making one a complete and worthier human being. I strongly believe that laws are necessary but not sufficient for countering intolerance in individual attitudes. Rather, true education makes us more understanding, compassionate and generous”, he said.

He urged the students to use their degrees and not waste them.

The governor conferred degrees, gold and silver medals among the position holders in various disciplines including behavioral sciences, business administration, business studies, communication and media studies, computer sciences, defense and diplomatic studies, economics, education, English, environmental sciences, fine arts, gender studies, Islamic studies, mathematics, public administration, software engineering and computer arts.

Hira Saleem was the only student to graduate with a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Sciences. It was announced that Hira co-authored a paper with a researcher from Imperial College London and she has earned a doctorate.

Among MPhil graduates Mariam Hafeez, Farah Naz, Azka Khan, Amna Butt, Hina Nazir and Saima Tufail earned gold medals. Similarly, Arooj Ahmed, Mamoona Naz, Fizza Said, Momina Hafeez, Tayyabah Aslam, Noor us Saba Muneeb, Sofia Noor, Zainab Masood, Ghazala Iqbal Rana, Saima Haroon, Sumera Khalid and Ammara Usman earned gold medals at the postgraduate level.

From the undergraduate level, Nida Hamshed, Aqsa Murtaza, Sidra Babar Khan, Komal Shehzad, Zaneera Malik, Aneeqa Yasin, Rafia Mushtaq Khan, Iqra Yousaf, Rohaniyyih Nabilzadeh, Maryum Mahmood, Shaan Bibi Jaffri, Bushra Jamil, Hina Mazhar, Jawairia Baig, Madiha Hameed, Sana Arzoo, Javeria Nafees, Alefya Fida Ali and Sameera Javed graduated with gold medals.

Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said that he was pleased to see girls graduating with high honors. “I am very proud that girls are venturing into all fields and subjects like sciences, engineering, computer and software engineering. When we started this university, only basic subjects were taught and now it teaches a plethora of courses. In Pakistan, we need more universities that focus on educating the women. No country can progress and evolve until its human resource is properly utilised”, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2016.