Karachi, December 17, 2025:
The two-day 3rd Global Research Congress (GRC-2025) of Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU), along with five international conferences and one national conference, commenced on Wednesday with participation of prominent national and international scholars. The event was inaugurated by Chairman Sindh Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr. Tariq Rafi and Vice Chancellor SMIU Dr. Mujeeb Sahrai by lighting the globe.
Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Tariq Rafi congratulated the SMIU management on successfully organizing the Global Research Congress and multiple conferences. He said Pakistan is facing a serious lack of research culture, which must be promoted among youth and faculty to ensure national development. Highlighting examples of China, Singapore, and Malaysia, he stressed that prioritizing education is the key to progress. He added that Pakistan’s 62 percent youth population is a great asset for the country’s future.
Dr. Rafi further said that higher education depends on strong foundations at primary, secondary, and college levels, which unfortunately are not yielding desired results. However, he said Sindh HEC is working to bring positive change by financially supporting universities and researchers for national and international conferences. He also appreciated Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah for his continuous support to universities.
In his welcome address, Vice Chancellor SMIU Dr. Mujeeb Sahrai thanked the guests and said that SMIU has been organizing Global Research Congress and conferences for the last three years to promote research culture. He revealed that this year the university received 312 research papers from scholars across the world, reflecting international confidence in SMIU. He also shared that student enrollment has increased from 1,800 to 5,500 over the past five years, financial deficits have been overcome, and the university has started producing PhD graduates.
International scholars Prof. Edwina Pio (New Zealand), Dr. Paul McEvoy (Ireland), and Dr. Maria Isabel Maldonado Garcia (University of the Punjab) also addressed the session, discussing the opportunities and challenges of Artificial Intelligence. A documentary on GRC was screened, while Mr. Wafa Mansoor Buriro, Assistant Professor SMIU, conducted the ceremony.
Later, five international and one national conference were inaugurated at different venues of the university, followed by technical and panel discussion sessions. A large number of national and international scholars, including Mr. Shams Ul Haq Memon, Justice (R) Kausar Sultana, Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, faculty members, officers, and students attended the event.
