A two-day webinar-cum-seminar ‘Pandemics and Narcotics: A Religious Perspective’ concluded at the University of Kashmir.
Dean of Research Prof Shakil A Romshoo presided over the valedictory session of the international-level event, organised by Shah-i-Hamdan Institute of Islamic Studies (SHIIS), the varsity said in a statement.
Congratulating the department for organising the seminar on an important theme, Prof Romshoo underscored the role that religiosity, religious institutions like ‘Bayt al-Maal’ and religious leaders can play in tackling the social stigma associated with narcotics abuse as well as the mental health problems triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
KU’s former Dean of Academic Affairs Prof A R Yousuf delivered the valedictory address, elaborating how mankind has had longstanding encounters with the occurrences of global pandemics and how humans have adopted various coping mechanisms to deal with such disasters from time to time.
Dean School of Social Sciences Prof M Y Ganai, who was a guest of honour, discussed the growing menace of drug abuse, its causes, manifestations, and possible ways to deal with it.
Seminar Director and Head SHIIS Prof Manzoor Ahmad Bhat delivered the welcome address and presented a detailed report of proceedings of the two-day event.
DrBurhan Rashid from SHIIS conducted proceedings of the valedictory session and also presented a vote of thanks.
More than 20 papers were presented by researchers from different parts of the country and abroad during five technical sessions. These pertained to Medieval Indian Medicine, Anthropology, History, Theology, Psychiatry, Psychology, Modern Medicine, Ecology, Management Studies, and Islamic Finance. Academics and scholars from the UK, Turkey and Malaysia attended the proceedings via Google-Meet platform.