The University of Karachi has approved the awarding of an honorary PhD to renowned scholar Dr. Zakir Naik, who is currently visiting Pakistan.
The decision was officially approved during a meeting of the university’s Syndicate, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Khalid Iraqi. However, three members of the Syndicate, who were nominated by the Government of Sindh, expressed their reservations and opposed the move.
The opposition from these members was revealed in the meeting’s official record, which stated that a letter regarding Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik’s honorary PhD was received from the Governor’s Secretariat on October 1. Despite the objections, the majority of the Syndicate members voted in favor of granting the honorary degree to Dr. Zakir Naik. Members Saadia Javed, Shahida Rehmani, and Sahibzada Moazzam Qureshi voiced concerns, particularly disagreeing with Dr. Naik’s views on women.
The honorary PhD was recommended by Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, after which the University of Karachi followed the necessary protocols by seeking approval from the Sindh Government’s Department of Universities and Boards. Once the department gave its consent, the Syndicate meeting was held to finalize the decision.
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