Estb. 1882

University of the Punjab

News Archives

Press Release

Women’s economic role neglected: Dr Qibla Ayaz
Women’s economic role neglected: Dr Qibla Ayaz


LAHORE: (Wednesday, November 20, 2019): Pakistan Council of Islamic Ideology Chairman Prof Dr Qibla Ayaz said that we have neglected the economic role of women in society and there were ambiguities regarding role of gender in the world which needed to be clarified through knowledge. He was addressing inaugural ceremony of two-day Seerat Conference on problems of women and their solutions in the light of teachings of Hazrat Muhammad SAWW organized by HEC of Pakistan’s Seerat Chair at Punjab University Institute of Islamic Studies at Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centre Auditorium. Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad Akhter, Chairman Iqbal Trust UK Dr Muhammad Arif Khan, Dean Faculty of Islamic Studies Prof Dr Muhammad Hammad Lakhvi, Chairperson of Seerat Chair Dr Shahida Parveen, faculty members, religious scholars and a large number of students were present on the occasion. Addressing the conference, Dr Qibla Ayaz said that we did not identify the role of women in society in an appropriate manner. He said that women had played important role in agricultural and industrial revolutions and in the present age of knowledge economy. He said that women had extended full support to men in all the times to run day to day affairs. He said that unfortunately we gave more attention to boys than girls. He said that feminist movement in Pakistan focused on issues being faced by the women belonging to elite class or urban society and it was not focusing on resolving the problems of village women who were deprived of various basic rights. He said that we were facing a new challenge in co-education system at BS honors level at universities where we need to ensure observance of moral values by male and female students. He said that there were societies in the world who progressed while having strong bond with their traditions. He said that many organizations were being established in the West to promote their original values. PU VC Prof Niaz Ahmad said that our real problem was that we have knowledge but we did not act upon that knowledge. He said that we were the best in delivering impressive speeches but when it comes to practice, we were zero. He said that we needed to review changes that had occurred in our society. He said that man was representative of Allah and we must understand our status in this world. He said that we needed to know the purpose of creation of this universe and if we followed the teachings of Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW) in our practical life, we would get success as promised by Allah. Dr Arif Khan said that we needed to break the taboos in order to give rights to the women. He said that we needed to explore the meaning of role of women in society. He said that there was need to make appropriate laws for protection of women’s rights. Dr Hammad Lakhvi said that we must not look at the West to resolve our problems as the solution of our problems could be found in the teachings of Hazrat Muhammad SAWW. Dr Shahid Parveen said that not only men, women were also usurping the rights of other women. She said that there must be gender balance in society on the basis of justice system. She said that the Seerat Chair was struggling to highlight real issues of women and provide their solutions. She also presented annual report of activities of the chair in this regard. Later, souvenirs were distributed among the guests.