HARIPUR:
The Hazara University (HU) on Friday conferred degrees on 16 prisoners in the Haripur Jail.
HU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Syed Sakhawat Shah, Registrar Syed Muqarab Shah and Superintendant Haripur Jail Masoodur Rehman Khan among other jail and university officials attended the ceremony.
In his address, the VC said that Hazara University is the only varsity in the country that offers free of charge higher education to prisoners, due to which the number of prisoners taking exams has considerably increased.
He added that 12 prisoners passed bachelor degree exams, whereas four passed master level exams in various subjects ranging from linguistics to history and international relations. Another 12 candidates who appeared in their final exams last year, will receive their results by the end of the next month.
“Education is the fundamental right of every citizen irrespective of his status, colour or creed,” said Shah. He added that those who have been awarded degrees must utilise their education for teaching other inmates so that they could become useful citizens of society and make better earning during their post detention period.
Jail Superintendent Masoodur Rehman Khan said that the jail authorities were extending every possible education facility to the jail inmates because reformation of detainees was the top priority of the detention system. He said that the jail authorities were focusing on the character building of prisoners for which they were being offered educational facilities of formal, non-formal and higher education.
The prisoners who received bachelors degrees are Sardar Omar, Sardar Hamza, Khanzeb, Omar Zeb, Asif Ali, Aminullah, Mehboobur Rehman, Sajidullah, Shehzada Naeem, Muhammad Khurshid, Muhammad Amin and Muhammad Rafique while, Sohail Fida, Muhammad Saeed and Asif Ali received master’s degrees.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2012.
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in this photo my elder brother is Sepahee Khawaja Muhammad Amin ( Right side 2nd man) is in jial still after completion of his punishment without any reason. he was in army and 5 men arrested in a muder case ..he was including tehm but he was not involved..now civil court give him life sentence.. Pray for his Freedom... he is innocent ..
This is a wonderful effort that deserves much attention and appreciation. I wish the university the very best in the future and hope we all can positively contribute on some level to the Pakistani society.
what were they in jail for?
Hazara University and jail authorities deserve the highest praise for this act. This is the way to reform citizens. Will others emulate this fine example?
Cool!