Islamabad – September 8, 2025 : Allama Syed Sajid Ali Naqvi, Leader of the Shia Nation of Pakistan, said that ignorance is the root of all problems, and because of it societies face various crises and hardships. He emphasized that education is obligatory for all. He added that while a global day is observed to protect education from attacks, it is regrettable that Zionism, backed by global imperialism, has destroyed educational institutions in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, along with places of worship, sparing neither teachers nor children. Sadly, the United Nations and international organizations have failed to halt these assaults. He called for September 9 to be dedicated, starting from next year, to the oppressed students and teachers of Gaza.
In his message on the international days observed every year — UNESCO’s International Literacy Day on September 8 (since 1966) and the UN’s International Day to Protect Education from Attack on September 9 — Naqvi highlighted the importance of literacy for individuals and societies. He drew attention to Pakistan’s 2023 census and subsequent economic survey, which showed that the literacy rate stands at only 60–65%, with 68% among men and 52.8% among women — figures that are not encouraging. He stressed that to keep pace with the fast-moving world and development, Pakistani society must come out of the darkness of ignorance into the light of knowledge, as Islam’s very first message was about reading and teaching. Unfortunately, he said, both federal and provincial governments have failed to take sufficient measures to address this pressing social issue.
He further stated that while the world observes a day to protect education from attacks, these commemorations now come at a time when Zionism, backed by global powers, is devastating humanity, targeting everything from places of worship and hospitals to residential buildings and schools. Countless children and teachers have been martyred, yet the United Nations and other institutions remain unable to stop these crimes. Therefore, starting in 2025, September 9 should be dedicated to the educational institutions of Palestine, particularly Gaza, so that the memory of the martyred students and teachers remains alive for generations to come, and future generations are made aware of Zionist atrocities.
