Glowing tributes paid to eminent writer Zakir Ali Khan

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

Glowing tributes were paid to the late Zakir Ali Khan, an eminent writer, Aligarhian, former Honorary Vice-Chancellor of Sir Syed University of University & Technology (SSUET), and ex-Managing Director Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB), for his commitment to the mission and vision of great reformer Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, at a condolence reference for him organized by Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA) at the SSUET’s campus.

The speakers on the occasion recalled the multi-faceted life and achievements of Zakir Ali Khan who served AMUOBA as its General Secretary for five decades and died recently at the age of 86 after a protracted illness..

In his speech the Chancellor SSUET, Engr Z.A. Nizami, spoke about the contributions made by late Zakir Ali Khan, towards promoting the cause of education and literature as outlined by the great Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.. 

He described Zakir Ali Khan as a man having unusual qualities and said he had been one of the most revered and outstanding writer having produced at least 10 most popular books in Urdu. 

He said his sad demise has created a void in both the educational and literary circles besides which would not be filled in near future. He announced to establish a chair after his name at the university in acknowledgment to his services in augmenting the cause of education in general and promoting Urdu in particular.

Engr Nizami said the dream of establishing Sir Syed University in line with the vision of great educationist Sir Syed Ahmed Khan came true because of his efforts and contribution and he made it possible for the University to get the hockey ground for SSUET students opposite the campus.

“He was a noncontroversial person who was loved and respected by all and nobody ever talked against him”, he said adding that besides education, he always emphasized on extracurricular activities and formed a sports department in the university.

Earlier Syed Afzal Karim highlighted the qualities and efforts of Zakir Ali Khan, observing that he was a great protagonist of the vision and mission of great reformer and educationist Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.

Born in July 2026 in Rampur, Zakir Ali Khan did his matric from Rampur, B.Sc from Aligarh in 1945 and B.Sc Engineering from the same university in 1948.

In his professional career, the late Khan had served as Managing Director of KW&SB, Chief Engineer KMV, Honorary Vice-Chancellor SSUET, Founder Member of Board of Governors SSUET, Founder Member Governing Body Aligarh Institute of Technology, President Pakistan Association of Scientists and Scientific Professions, Karachi University Syndicate and Academic Council and Selection Board.

Zakir Ali Khan was the recipient of Alumni Award given to him by Aligarh Alumni Association New York in 2000 and was awarded the First Sir Syed Ahmed Khan International Award for Literature by Aligarh Muslim University, India in 2008.

He was the author of 10 books and represented the best qualities of social engineering through the promotion of professional education thereby impacting the life of a large multiple.

He was also instrumental in creating a new sense of pride and confidence as being a part of modern Islamic heritage through his writings.

He played a significant role in establishment of Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association and since the last five decades had remained in Honorary Secretary.

He was actively engaged in the promotion of sports events and also went as team manager to various countries. He worked hard to promote hockey and served as Secretary of Karachi Division Lawn Tennis Association.

The meeting, largely attended by SSUET’s faculty members, staff, students, friends of Zakir Ali Khan and his lovers, concluded with Fateha offered for the departed soul. Dua was performed by renowned Naat Khawan, Mahamoodul Hassan Ashrafi. 

Dr Abdullah hails Chancellor Nizami for turning Aligarh dream into reality

Dr Abdullah

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi  

“The establishment of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) is a unique achievement of Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys’ Association (AMOUBA) which has been made possible by Z.A. Nizami, President AMUOBA and Chancellor SSUET.”  

These remarks came from Dr. Abdullah, a Pakistani scientist settles in the US and now on a visit to Karachi, after a meeting with Chancellor Nizami, on December 28.  

Dr. Abdullah, also an Aligarian and a Trustee of Aligarh Alumni Association, USA, described the SSUET as a realization of the meaning of Aligarh Movement.  

He informed the Chancellor that Aligarh Alumni Association USA is deeply involved in community services and has been supporting some 225 students studying in Aligarh University and also supporting about 15 educational institutions as a mission of Sir Syed Khan – the promotion of cause of education.  

He reiterated that SSUET is a unique achievement and one could find a very rare example of establishment of such universities by an association and its credit goes to Mr. Nizami.  

Chancellor Nizami informed the visiting scientist, who served in NASA and General Electric for many years, that during his lifetime, Sir Syed, the great educationist and reformer was told to name Aligarh University after his name but he refused and said that only after his death an institution could be named after his name if anyone felt that he had done something for propagating the cause of education and Muslims at large and it was after 6 years of his death that this University came into being as Sir Syed University.  

He informed Dr. Abdullah that SSUET today has 6000 students on its roll besides some 200 doing Masters and Ph.D. Besides, there were 3000 students in the Aligarh Institute of Technology and another 1500 admitted in the Continuous education Programme.  

Sir Syed University students distribute ration in flood-affected Nawabshah

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

The students of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, distributed two truck loads of relief goods including food items among the rain and flood affected people of District Shaheed Benazirabad. 

A team of the university teachers and the volunteer students carried the ration packs to an affected village in Deh Hakro, a remote area of Taluka Daur of the district and distributed among the affectees with the cooperation of Chaudhary Irfan Hameed, a local landlord. 

In order to make the relief distribution transparent, the university volunteers compiled a list of affected people and later distributed ration among them.

Speaking on the occasion, a university teacher, Abdul Khaliq Khanzada, remarked that the relief ration was collected and transported on the directives of Chancellor SSUET Z A Nizami

He disclosed to the audience that the SSUET, in the past, had also distributed ration among the affected people of Badin and Mirpurkhas on humanitarian grounds.

Later the SSUET team visited Nawabshah Press Club and presented the university souvenir to the Club President, Muhammad Anwar Shaikh, and senior member, Rashid Zia Qureshi.

They were taken on a visit to the Club's Seminar Hall, Press Conference Room, Computer laboratory and Library. 

The Nawabshah Press Club President, Anwar Shaikh, appreciated the efforts of the of Chancellor Sir Syed University, Z A Nizami, and described this act of his as real service to humanity.

SSUET to have a Center of studies for Irrigation and flood relief

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) is going to have a center of studies for Irrigation and Flood Relief – the first of its kind to be established by an engineering university.

An announcement in this regard was made by Chancellor SSUET Engr Z.A. Nizami, while presiding over the Sir Syed Day function held at the University’s Convocation Ground in Karachi.

Mr Nizami made the announcement on behalf of Pakistan’s noted engineer and most senior Aligarhian Engr Bashir A. Malik, who was the chief guest at the Sir Syed Day function which is iberved every year on October 17.

Mr Nizami said Engr Bashir Malik, has announced to wholly sponsor the establishment of this center. It was Engr Bashir Malik who donated the entire Rs 12 million cost of an Auditorium of international standard at SSUET.

The Chancellor noted that establishment of such a study center was the need of the house and work on its establishment will start within a week. He said the center will feed the entire country on irrigation and flood relief issues.

He announced yet another sponsorship from Engr Bashir Malik for the establishment of Lahore Campus of Sir Syed University and said the legal requirements in this respect would be sorted out first to pave the way for this purpose.

On the occasion, Engr Nizami announced the conferment of status of Professor Emiratus of SSUET for Engr Bashir Malik in recognition to his services in the field of civil engineering and more particularly the water issues.

Nizami said that no one else but SSUET has been instrumental in keeping the “Aligah Spirit” alive and said that it is the only university in Pakistan which, besides imparting education in six engineering didsciplines, made Pakistan Studies, Aligarh Movement and Pakistan Movement compulsory subjects while following the spirit and mission of great reformer and educationist Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.

He referred to the host of studies carried out on disaster management at the University and said that the bulky reports were sent to some 32 organizations and only three of them took the pain to go through these world standard reports.

Mr Nizami said that keeping the mission of Sir Syed, this university keeps pursuing its students to only focus on their academic pursuits besides extra academic activities.

Earlier, speaking as chief guest, Engr Bashir A. Malik who did his civil engineering from Aligarh Muslim University and served as Technical Advisor to UN on water issues, described Sir Syed Ahmed Khan a great personality and said such personalities never die and their achievements are always remembered.

He said that achievements of the great reformer and educationist are counted even after 110 years – his biggest achievement being the Aligarh College which later became the world fame university.

He said the students of Aligarh Muslim University led the movement for the creation of a country in which today we are living as a free nation. He said this country was carved out under the sterling leadership of Quaid-e-Aza Muhammed Ali Jinnah which otherwise it was not possible to get it from the yoke of imperialists and hindus.

“It was not an easy task to bring a country on the world map, and the basic role towards this was played by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan through the establishment of college in Aligarh”.

Bashir Malik said that the seed for establishment of Pakistan was sowed by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan but what not is being done to this country today. He said once the Muslim were a great united nation but had no country while today we have a country but with a divided nation.

He said it is wrong that Pakistanis are inferior to anyone. “We should come out of inferiority complex and be proud of achievements of our people like the one who made it a atomic power.

Engr Bashir Malilk made a special mention about his book “save water save Pakistan” and said the book has special philosophy behind it.

He pointed out that the world has only 2.5 percent of water for drinking purposes and 70 percent of it was underground and thus the world has less than one percent of water available for drinking.

He warned that after 10-12 years Pakistan will not have enough water to meet the drinking needs of its 22 million people and, therefore, it is imperative to take up this issue on war footing. He said any government in power should not only work on construction of dams but also control the population growth at the same time.

He said it is important to meet the country’s energy requirements and overcome the load shedding problem, but it must be remembered that we cannot live without water for more than one week. He said there would not have been load shedding, if the governments in power had focused on construction of dams.

Other speakers on the occasion included noted writer and poet, Muslim Shamim, snior most Aligarhian Saeed Siddiqi and noted writer Prof Dr Waqar Rizvi, who paid glowing tributes and recounted the achievements of great reformer and educationist and said he was the torch bearer of Islamic renaissance.

They said that Sir Syed laid the foundation of Muslims renaissance with the establishment of Aligarh College. They said that he was the motivating force behind the rebirth of learning. They said he created educational and political consciousness among the Muslim youth and led sectarianism to an end.

Noted poet Khumar Farooqi presented poetic tributes to Sir Syed Ahmed Khan while the boys and girls of Sir Syed University sang “Tarana-e-Aligarh”.

SSUET students Fatima Saima and Omer Ali kazmi delivered speeches on Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in English and Urdu respectively.

Mahtab Rashidi delivers inspiration speech at SSUET

Karachi Observer Report

Former Sindh Secretary for Information and Education, Mrs Mahtab Akbar Rashdi has said that the younger generation is our replica in which we have great hopes as future is waiting for them.

She was addressing a students and faculty members of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) while delivering a lecture on the topic of “Professional Grooming- Personal excellence comes first” the other day.

Mrs Rashdi was the first woman who joined Sindh Government as Secretary and served at different important positions till her retirement from service.

“We are the past and you are our replica and we want to you grow” she told the students.

“We have great hopes in our younger generation and they have all the opportunities to grow with knowledge and technology being in their reach”

At the outset of her lecture she paid rich tributes to great reformer Sir Syed Ahmed Khan for his vision for the Muslims of the sub-continent and produced people like Mr Z.A. Nizami and many other outstanding personalities.

She said that Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah carved out this country and today we are proud of our country and our being Pakistanis.

Telling that “we are the past now and you are the future”, Mrs Rashdi told the students that now it was for them to achieve which they are to achieve as being future hope of the country.

She said that when she and people like her entered the practical life, no one was there to tell them about professional grooming. But whatever they learnt, they had it from their home, parents and ultimately their teachers.

Mahtab pointed out that today is the world of competition and it is time fior them to learn how to march ahead as their strength is to be channelized for the country.

With the help of slides she explained to them at length as to what is a professional image and how to create it and quoted Laura Morgan Roberts who said that “if you are not managing your own professional image, others are”.

She categorized professional image as desired and undesired ones and explained as to what steps they can take to ensure that they are projecting the professional image they want. Their concern should be as to what their key constituent might say about them when they are not in the room.

She informed them about components of professional image which include personal appearance through clothing, grooming and personal behavior through manners and etiquettes and communication effectiveness.

Mrs Rashdi reminded them that judgments are made about people based on the professional image they display. She told them to think of a person who made a reat first impression on them and said having a good professional image is key because they never get a second chance to make a first impression.

She dilated upon projecting professional image matters, attributes of a professional image, appropriate professional appearance, professional personal behavior, manners and etiquettes, non-verbal communication and verbal and written communication.

In his presidential remarks on the occasion, the Chancellor SSUET, Mr Z.A. Nizami assured that such lecture sessions will continue for grooming of youth for augmentation of their knowledge to help lead them to their successful future career..

Mr Nizami said the University will continuously hold grooming lectures for its students with regard to their behavior and appearance for which all required facilities will be provided and which the university was already doing through career planning.

On the occasion Mrs Rashdi was presented university plaque and souvenirs by Chancellor Mr Z A Nizami.

As it was Defence of Pakistan Day, the participants and guests lit the candles to demonstrate their commitment to the Defence of Pakistan and in memory of the martyrs of 1965 war with India.