Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The full dress rehearsal of the Pakistan Day parade was held at Shakarparian Parade Ground here on Sunday.

Army, Navy, Pakistan Air Force, Frontier Corps, Northern Light Infantry, Mujahid Force and other services participated in the event, while scores of fighter aircraft of PAF, Pakistan Navy and helicopters of Army Aviation also rehearsed the fly-past for the final day. Strict security measures were in place in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi to avoid any untoward incident. Mobile phone service remained suspended in different parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi till 1pm in the afternoon.

Conference: The first-ever national conference on early childhood will be held here on March 27-28 to promote a holistic and healthy growth of teenagers as well as providing them with quality education at the primary and middle level.

It is being arranged by the Ministry of Education and Professional Development in collaboration with the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU). Research papers will be presented at the conference that will be participated by educationists and researchers from all over the country.

The conference arrangements were reviewed at a meeting held here under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui and a senior officer of the Ministry Rafiq Tahir.

It was decided that the conference will take place at the university’s main campus and the both sides will jointly work together for arranging the event in a befitting manner.

The conference is aimed at providing a platform to learning professionals, educators and other stake-holders to consider ways and means for ensuring better education and the brought-up process of children at an early stage.

According to Rafiq Tahir, the conferences arrangements were being finalised in the light of the guidance, being provided by the Minister of Education Engr. Muhammad Baligur Rehman.

Dr. Shahid Siddiqui said the AIOU would host such an event on an annual basis and it would also soon start research work on early childhood development to fulfil its academic responsibility in the task of nation-building. A research journal on early childhood will be published by the end of this year.

The university has also planned to introduce special certificate courses on early childhood as well as a degree program at the BSc level.

Thai: A delegation from the National Assembly of Thailand visited the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) where they met the IIUI Rector, Dr Masoom Yasinzai and Thai students of the varsity.

The delegation had a detailed meeting with the IIUI Rector, Acting President IIUI, Dr. Mohammad Bashir Khan, Vice President IIUI, Dr. Muhammad Munir, Vice President HS&R, Dr. Aqdas Naveed Malik and Thai students. The delegation of the Thai National Legislative Assembly included Gen. Nipat THONGLEK, Mrs. Phinissorn SIKKAHBANDIT and Natcha NILRAT.

The Thai delegation head, Gen. Nipat THONGLEK appreciated the role of the IIUI in the promotion of education and hoped that the IIUI and his country’s educational institutions, with bilateral cooperation could open new horizons of educational progress in both the countries. He mentioned that the IIUI had a vital role in the dissemination of Islamic attributes in Thailand.