08/01/2026
PROFESSOR DR. MUHAMMAD ZIA-UL-HAQ
Vice Chancellor, University of Narowal
Professor Dr. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq has been appointed as Vice Chancellor, University of Narowal. Previously, he was working as Director General of the Islamic Research Institute and Professor of Shariah & Islamic Law at International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan, where he was also a Dean of the Faculty of Shariah and Law from 2010 to 2014 and 07-01-2025 to 07-12-2025. He also served as Chief Editor of the renowned research journals of IRI. He was a Senior Fulbright Fellow and Professor at the Edward B. Brueggeman Center for Dialogue at Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, USA 2013–14. He holds Ph.D. (1998) in Comparative Fiqh (Islamic Law) from the Institute Superieuer du Theologie, Ezzituna University (Oldest University of the world founded in 737 AD), in Tunis, Tunisia. He had post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Glasgow, U.K. (2005); University of Warsaw, Poland (2010); Deusto University, Bilbao, Spain (2013); and King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz International Center for Inter Religious and Inter Cultural Dialogue (KAICIID) Vienna, Austria (2015). He has authored around 60 research articles/papers published in reputed recognized journals of the world. He has also written more than 30 books. He has presented around 550 presentations at numerous conferences and workshops around the globe. He has established various centers and departments and developed a variety of PHD/LLM/MS programs in various educational institutions. Recently he played a leading role in the establishment of Nisar Fatima Institute for Seerah and Women Studies (NFISWS) at Lahore as the joint initiative of HEC and IIUI. Similarly, he has completed the formation of Ahmad Yasawi Center for Islamic Thought, Culture and Civilization in Central Asia as the joint project of Pakistan and Kazakhstan which will be inaugurated by the President of Kazakhstan in his forthcoming official visit to Pakistan. He is leading the Govt. of Pakistan Projects for Advancing National Narratives such as Paigham-e- Pakistan and Saiban-e-Pakistan. He has conceived and implemented various projects for promotion of peace and inclusion in Pakistan. He is an active member of various important international bodies such as Secretariat of World and Traditional Religions Kazakhstan, International Justice Forum USA and International Moderation Forum, Jordon. He specializes in Shariah/Islamic Law, International Islamic Law, Islamic Civilizational Studies, Human Rights, Muslim Family laws and Interfaith Relations/Dialogue, Peace Studies and Narrative Building. He has been given several awards and recognitions such as Best Teacher Award from HEC (2010) and Ambassador for Dialogue and Peace Building by KAICIID, Austria (2015) and Medal of State from the President of Kazakhstan 2016. HE Nursultan Nazarbayev, Founding President Republic of Kazakhstan, awarded him Medal of the Honour of the Congress of the leaders of world and Traditional Religions (2018). Govt of Pakatan conferred upon him Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in 2024. During the 8th Congress of World and Traditional Religions on September 18,2025 the President of Kazakhstan appointed him Goodwill Ambassador of Congress of World and Traditional Religions, Astan, Kazakhstan. He believes in the ethics of disagreement and aims to promote a culture of disagreement in an agreeable way.
