Maulana Abdul Habib Attari Visits Saylani Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park, Praises Mission to Empower Pakistan's Youth Through Technology

Maulana Abdul Habib Attari, one of Pakistan's most prominent Islamic scholars and a senior member of the Central Executive Committee (Shura) of Dawat-e-Islami, paid a significant visit to the Saylani Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park in Karachi on Monday, commending Saylani Welfare International Trust's sweeping initiative to equip the country's youth with advanced digital skills. During the visit, Maulana Attari toured the facility's world-class infrastructure, met with students and instructors, and praised the organisation's far-reaching vision of shaping Pakistan's digital future through technology, innovation, and free-of-cost education.

A Landmark Visit at Pakistan's Premier Youth Tech Hub

Located near Baloch Colony Bridge in Karachi, the Saylani Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park stands as one of Pakistan's most ambitious technology education centres. Established and operated under the administration of the Saylani Welfare International Trust, the facility was inaugurated in September 2024 by Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, drawing dignitaries from across Pakistan and representatives from multiple foreign consulates.

Maulana Abdul Habib Attari's visit added a significant dimension to the institution's growing national profile. As a revered religious and community figure with over two decades of public influence, his endorsement carries considerable weight among Pakistan's vast grassroots communities, many of whom Saylani has traditionally served through its wide-ranging welfare programmes.

During the tour, Maulana Attari engaged with students enrolled in various technology programmes, observed live training sessions, and was briefed by Saylani officials on the institution's scope, impact, and future plans. He expressed deep admiration for the facility and the trust's commitment to practical, future-ready education.

Saylani Welfare's Digital Vision: Free Training, Global Opportunities

The Saylani Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park serves as the flagship campus of the Saylani Mass IT Training (SMIT) programme — a large-scale, free technology education initiative that has already trained hundreds of thousands of young Pakistanis. The programme currently enrols students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds, offering courses entirely free of charge.

Saylani's Mass IT Training arm, known as SMIT, teaches an extensive portfolio of in-demand courses, including:

• Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
• Cloud Data Engineering and DevOps
• Modern Web Application Development with AI
• Flutter Mobile App Development
• Generative AI and Chatbot Development
• Graphic Design with AI
• Digital Marketing with AI
• Shopify E-Commerce

The courses are open to both male and female students, with multiple campuses operating across Karachi and other major cities throughout Pakistan. Saylani Welfare trains an estimated 180,000 young people annually through this initiative.

At the inaugural event in September 2024, Saylani Trust's founder, Maulana Bashir Farooq Qadri, articulated an ambitious national vision: "By 2035, Saylani's IT experts will eliminate Pakistan's reliance on IMF and World Bank loans. We have envisioned a future where we no longer have to bow before these institutions."

Maulana Attari: A Bridge Between Faith, Learning, and Nation-Building

Maulana Abdul Habib Attari was born on 14 October 1974 in Karachi and has been a lifelong fixture in the Ahl-e-Sunnat movement and its global outreach wing, Dawat-e-Islami. As head of ten major departments of Dawat-e-Islami — including Madani Channel, Jamia tul Madina, Darul Ifta Ahle-Sunnat, and the Overseas Committee — he occupies a unique position at the intersection of religious guidance and institutional leadership.

With more than 20 years of experience as a public speaker, Islamic scholar, and television host, Maulana Attari has addressed audiences in parliaments, mosques, and convention halls across six continents, including a landmark address at the New South Wales Parliament in Sydney, Australia.

His visit to Saylani's IT Park signals a broader alignment between Pakistan's religious community leadership and the country's growing digital education movement — underscoring a shared belief that modern technology and faith-driven social welfare are not mutually exclusive, but complementary pillars of national development.

World-Class Facilities Driving a National Digital Movement

The Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park is not merely a training centre — it has quickly evolved into a hub for national events and youth competitions. In January 2025, more than 700 graduates of the SMIT programme participated in a 12-hour hackathon titled "Coding Night" at the facility. Students were tasked with completing real-time software development challenges, with successful participants receiving prizes at the conclusion of the overnight event.

Sindh Governor Tessori, who attended the hackathon as guest of honour, praised Saylani for empowering students from low and middle-income families, highlighting that graduates were now capable of earning in US dollars through international freelancing platforms. He also disclosed that 50,000 students were simultaneously enrolled in a free IT training programme at Governor House, conducted in direct collaboration with SMIT.

Among the prominent figures who have visited the IT Park is Salman Iqbal, Chairman of the ARY Group, whose tour was described by Saylani officials as a testament to the institution's commitment to authentic youth development and nation-building through technology.

Key Highlights

• Visitor: Maulana Abdul Habib Attari, member of Dawat-e-Islami's Central Executive Committee (Shura) and one of Pakistan's most prominent Islamic scholars
• Venue: Saylani Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park, near Baloch Colony Bridge, Karachi
• Operator: Saylani Welfare International Trust (SWIT)
• Training Programme: Saylani Mass IT Training (SMIT) — free courses in AI, Web Dev, Mobile App Development, DevOps, Digital Marketing, and more
• Annual Reach: Approximately 180,000 students trained per year across Pakistan
• Inauguration Date: September 19, 2024, by Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori
• Notable Past Visitors: Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, ARY Group Chairman Salman Iqbal, and representatives from UAE, Bahrain, Malaysia, Turkey, Japan, Indonesia, and Iran
• Stated Goal: Graduate 10,000 software engineers nationally; contribute $1 billion to Pakistan's GDP annually through digital skills development

Background: Saylani Welfare International Trust

Founded by Maulana Bashir Farooq Qadri, Saylani Welfare International Trust is one of Pakistan's largest non-governmental organisations, with operations spanning food security, healthcare, shelter, education, and vocational training. The Trust's Saylani Mass IT Training programme represents one of the country's most ambitious digital inclusion initiatives, providing free, industry-relevant technology education to youth who might otherwise lack access to such opportunities.

The Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park is named in honour of a benefactor whose contribution made the facility possible, and serves as the anchor campus of SMIT's growing national network. The park hosts multiple campuses across Karachi and has expanded to other cities, with admissions conducted via the official website at www.saylanimit.com.

Pakistan's Digital Future: Building from the Ground Up

Pakistan's digital economy has been identified as a critical growth driver by successive governments and development institutions. Initiatives such as SMIT's mass training programme are widely seen as essential infrastructure for the country's ability to compete in a rapidly evolving global technology marketplace.

The convergence of figures from Pakistan's religious, governmental, and business communities at Saylani Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park — including Maulana Abdul Habib Attari's latest visit — reflects a growing consensus that equipping the nation's youth with digital skills is not merely an economic imperative, but a moral and civic one.

UAE Consul General Bakheet Al-Rumaithi, who attended the park's inaugural ceremony, captured this sentiment: "Today's event is evidence that the process of change has already begun. The youth of Pakistan should not lose hope."

Conclusion

Maulana Abdul Habib Attari's visit to Saylani Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park reinforces the role the facility has come to play as a symbol of Pakistan's ambition for technological self-reliance and youth empowerment. With tens of thousands of students already benefiting from free, world-class training at its campuses, Saylani Welfare's digital education initiative continues to attract admiration and support from across the country's leadership spectrum. As Pakistan charts its course toward a stronger digital economy, institutions such as the Zaitoon Ashraf IT Park represent both the method and the hope of that transformation.

For more information about Saylani Mass IT Training admissions, visit www.saylanimit.com

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