As an academician, I have always opposed the formation of any discipline/subject specific University as it introduces extra overhead in terms of many resources which could otherwise be used in a shared way for a range of subjects in a general university serving students/learners of all backgrounds. Also, I have always advocated for naming the Universities according to the name of the city/town they are located in and not by the name of any person or ism! Any person or ism can't be universally acceptable at all times to all the people but the name of the city would always be loved and respected by everyone and so the University!
AFAIK, there is only one university in the world with the name of "University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism" at California, US (http://www.sufiuniversity.org/home ). This University emerged in 2005 from Robert Ibrahim Jaffe's School of Energy Mastery which started in 1985 (http://www.sufiuniversity. org/ushs_history ). So far, the university offers only one degree i.e., Masters in Divinity (http://www.sufiuniversity. org/academic_programs ).
IMHO, opening a public sector university for spiritual/religious studies is something needing a second thought. However, one fails to understand the urgency of the Govt of Sindh to make the university functional in just one month time when even there is no infrastructure available yet! I assume that some foreign country/aid has thrown a big amount of money which has made the govt really made!
We already have an International Islamic University (publicly funded) at Islamabad. If PPP govt really want to fulfil the dream of Z.A Bhutto (as stated by the minister in appended news) then it should get that University renamed to International Sufi University. Once this university is renamed, restructured (in terms of curriculum, ideology etc as per lines of Sufisim) its campuses at various locations in all provinces may be opened. These campuses must get their financial support from the income of Auqaf Ddepartment.
Also, if the Govt of Sindh really loves Sufism it should first change the religious/history text books taught in the public schools which are full of fake, fabricated and biased material. Just making a few Sufi Universities at Bhitshah, Sehwan and Daraza wouldn't transform our society to embrace love, tolerance and peace! The change must be started in a uniform way throughout the educational system which got maligned in the era of dictators. It is only then that we could claim that the dream of Z.A Bhutto has been made true!--Azhar
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