Former President Abdulla Yameen has said that he would have declined and opposed any attempt by Pakistan to confer an honorary doctorate upon him.
Speaking at a gathering organized by the People’s National Front (PNF) on Thursday, Yameen questioned the rationale behind Pakistan’s decision to grant the honor to President Mohamed Muizzu. He asserted that had such an offer been extended to him, he would have rejected it.
"I am deeply saddened by this. I am lodging my protest. Looking at Pakistan’s reasoning regarding socio-economics, I fail to understand how they recognized Muizzu with an honorary doctorate. Do they even research what is happening in the Maldives?" Yameen asked.
"When a head of state visits a country and is given an award based on credentials they do not possess, it diminishes the prestige of the institution granting it. I am saying this clearly: I would oppose it if they tried to offer me an honorary doctorate. I know it is not something that carries any real weight," he added.
Yameen further noted that with a Pakistani High Commission established in the Maldives, the country should be well aware of Muizzu’s actions, claiming that the prevailing sentiment in the Maldives is one of severe public dissatisfaction with the President's conduct.
The honorary doctorate was conferred upon Muizzu by the International Islamic University in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The university awarded the honorary degree in the field of Politics and International Relations. The ceremony took place at the official residence of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif.
