Sports are as important as education: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that the students should actively take part in the sports activities. He said that a healthy mind can only be developed in a healthy body. He said that the sports have an important role to play in shaping positive mindset, constructive and moderate behavior and character building.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri made these remarks while talking to the students, lecturers and management of the Minhaj University Lahore during his special visit to the campus in Township Lahore. He played shooting ball with the students and kicked the football on this occasion. The students and those present enjoyed the powerful shoots and hits of Dr Qadri and continued to clap and cheer.

Deputy Chairman of MUL Dr Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam Ghauri, Col. (r) Mubashir Iqbal, Khurram Shahzad, Nasir Iqbal Advocate, were also present on the occasion. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri visited the different parts of the Mosque being constructed under the model of Turkish arts and appreciated the quality of craftsmanship on display. He also went to the shrine of Qudwa-tul-Aulia Sayyiduna Tahir Allauddin Al-Qadri Al-Gillani, laid the floral wreath on the grave and offered Dua.

Dr Qadri, while talking to the students and faculty, said that we have given due importance to the sports along with provision of quality education. He said that he was pleased to see the tennis, shooting ball, and badminton courts and the hockey and cricket grounds of the world quality. He highlighted the need for patronage of sports activities at the level of colleges and universities, saying that it is the way to revive the lost glory of the country in sports.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that it is unfortunate that Pakistan could not get even a single gold medal during the recently concluded Asian games. He said that it is a pity that there are huge buildings but not enough playgrounds where the youth could expend their energies on productive activities. He said that the use of land has been restricted to making money only in this day and age of commercialism and the sports playgrounds are considered to be non-productive enterprises. He said that this diseased thinking will have to be got rid of.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri asked the Vice Chancellor of MUL to make sure that the trees are planted in all the open spaces inside the campus. He further directed the Minhaj Education Foundation to plant trees across all the schools and colleges under it. He appreciated the government’s resolve to make the country clean and green through massive tree plantation.

Sounding the alarm bell, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that Pakistan is among the countries that are increasingly being affected by global warming. He said that glaciers are melting fast and forest cover is on the decrease. He said that there is very less percentage of trees in the country despite it being an agricultural country. ‘The situation has resulted in increase in temperature, he added.'