Pakistan to establish 'Seerat Chair' in 3 universities

Pakistan's prime minister has directed the country's higher education authority to establish "Seerat Chair" in the country's three major universities to teach the young generation the holy life of the Prophet Muhammad, an official said on Friday.

Imran Khan issued the directives during a high level meeting with Higher Education Commission officials at his office in the capital Islamabad, said a statement issued from prime minister's office.

"Objective of establishing Seerat Chair in the higher education institutions is to ensure genuine research and to highlight Uswa-e-Hasana [the Prophet's way of life] and holy life of Hazrat Muhammad [PBUH]," Khan said.

This research will be helpful to counter the negative propaganda against Islam, Khan added.

Khan announced that his government is organizing international "Rahmatullil Aalamin (mercy to the universe) Conference" this year to highlight all aspects of the holy life of the Prophet Muhammad.

On July 25, Khan's center-right Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had emerged as the single majority party in the general election and formed the government in the center and two provinces.

In his first address after winning the elections, Khan promised to follow the concept of the Madinah state -- the first state of welfare in history.

"My inspiration is to introduce that system of humanity in Pakistan, where all the people-- our laborers, farmers and other weak segments have equal rights," Khan had said.

I want to make Pakistan a state where widows and the poor are taken care of, he said.

68-year-old Khan -- a former cricket hero now with prayer beads in hands -- has adopted Sufism in recent years.

He had been frequently visiting shrines and faith healers before the general elections to seek blessing for his political journey. This led him to marry faith healer Bushra Manika, a religious lady from northeastern Punjab province, in 2018.