ISLAMABAD, Dec 18 (APP): Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Thursday said that education was the key to national progress and development.
Addressing a Convocation 2025 of the Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST) as the chief guest here, the minister said that all provinces and people of Pakistan were united for the country’s prosperity and stability.
A total of 1,323 graduates, including 25 PhD scholars were awarded degrees in their respective disciplines. Executive Director CUST Professor Sohail Afzal presided over the convocation.
Stressing the need for unity, the federal minister urged citizens to set aside personal differences and work collectively for national development.
The minister said the entire nation stands like a solid wall with the armed forces of Pakistan, which has enabled the country to give a befitting response to its enemies and uphold national pride.
Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Mansoor Ahmed, in his inaugural address, warmly welcomed the graduating students and highlighted the university’s contributions to higher education.
He emphasized that education plays a pivotal role in the economic development of a country by enhancing productivity and efficiency, and by producing skilled human resources capable of leading the nation’s economy.
The PhD degrees were awarded to scholars across various disciplines, including Management Sciences, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics and Biosciences.
A total of 90 top position holders were also honored with gold, silver, and bronze medals in their respective degree programs.
The graduates who were awarded PhD degrees include Muhammad Ali Malik, Fizza Asif, Anum Shafique and Mahboob Khan in Management Sciences, Waqas Toor, Mohsin Ullah and Qumrish Arooj in Electrical Engineering, Sajjad Shuker Ullah, Aaroon Joshua Das, Mustafa Sultan and Usman Shahid in Civil Engineering, Ibrar Ahmed, Bilal Khan, Ehtsham Irshad and Shahid Khan in Computer Science, Shahana Rizvi and Areej Fatima in Mathematics, while Qasim Khan, Sobia Khurshid, Naveed Soomro, Faiqa Rashid, Imran Khan, Iqra Bashir, Rukhsana Tabassum and Sabahat Javid got degrees in the field of Biosciences.
The prestigious Jinnah Gold Medal for overall best graduate of the convocation was awarded to Qurat-ul-Ain Fatima of the BS English program in recognition of her outstanding academic performance and excellence in co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
The convocation concluded with applause and celebrations, marking a significant milestone in the academic journey of the graduating students.