ISLAMABAD - More than 370 students of various disciplines were awarded degrees in the 2nd Convocation of Iqra University on Saturday.Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, presided over the ceremony. Chief of Naval Staff Asif Sandila Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of the university, besides a large gathering of students, their parents, faculty members and board of governors, also attended the event.The students have been awarded degrees in the disciplines of Fashion Design, Textile Design, Business Administration, Technology Management, Computer Science, Telecommunications, Development Studies, Social Science and International Relation. As many as 47 students have been awarded academic medals for their outstanding academic performances.Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh distributed degrees and medals to Iqra University students belonging to different faculties and levels. He appreciated the contribution of Iqra University in education sector by getting No. 1 rank in private sector universities in Sindh. Addressing the students he said Iqra University is fulfilling all three major roles for society like dissemination of knowledge, finding of new knowledge and research and paying of community. He also highlighted the importance of universities for providing the qualified manpower required for economic growth and assured that government is doing every effort for the promotion of education sector in Pakistan.Highlighting the performance and achievements of government during the last 10 years he said there were 71 universities in Pakistan in 2002, but in last 10 years, 66 new universities have been added in Pakistan. Previously, female enrolment was 37 per cent and now it is 45 per cent. Previously, numbers of Ph.Ds were 1,500, now 10,000 new students have been enrolled in PhD, he added. He also advised the students to be a proud and loyal Pakistani. The President of the University, Dr UAG Isani presented report about the campus and highlighted the main objectives and achievements while the Chancellor of Iqra University Hunaid Lakhani talked about the vision of the university.