Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Universities and Boards, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said the illustrious students of the Sindh Madressatul Islam had laid foundation of Pakistan as it started with the separation of Sindh from the Bombay Presidency and that new province passed the resolution for the creation of Pakistan.
“Those great students of the Sindh Madressatul Islam have the historic role to be involved, directly and indirectly, in creation of Pakistan. They struggled for the separation of Sindh from the Bombay Presidency; thus the province of Sindh came forward to call for a new country for the Muslims of the British India,” said Nisar Ahmed Khuhro while speaking as the chief guest at the Sindh Madressatul Islam University’s 135th foundation day at a local hotel .
135th-Foundation-Day Mr. Khuhro said all at the event had gathered there to pay homage to the heroes of the nation; and the occasion was befitting to pay tribute to those heroes who had tabled and got passed the resolution from the Sindh Assembly for creation of Pakistan.
He said that he was proud of Sindh Madressatul Islam as we all here are passing our lives with freedom in a sovereign country of our own.
He said he felt immense happiness in attending the foundation day of the SMIU and offered his complete support in making the university attaining its greater ambitions to impart quality education to its students.
He appreciated the efforts of Dr. Muhammad Ali Shaikh, vice chancellor, SMIU, for making it possible to get university status for a great educational institution, which was the greatest tribute that could be paid to its meritorious students, their faculties and the founders.
135th-Foundation-Day He said all issues and problems, including terrorism and increasing intolerance in the society were created by the lack of education. He added Hasan Ali Effendi had realized all that, which was why he thought to establish a quality educational institution to make the society better educated that could be forthcoming for modern ideas to accept and even conceptualize.
Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said late Effendi had founded the SMI for the children of people belonging to the middle class so that they could become better and productive individuals of the society who could play a good role in reforming the society on modern lines.
Mr. Khuhro said Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh’s efforts had enabled the SMIU to be in the league of the country’s best universities. He said he was happy to see the SMIU was on the path of progress and the Sindh government was there to support it at all levels.
135th-Foundation-Day VC SMIU Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh said today we have completed 134 years to the establishment of the SMIU. He added many institutions could not maintain its quality with the passage of time; but, SMIU was among those which had maintained its quality for the past seven years since it had been granted the status of a university and it was getting even better.
He said it was quality of the SMIU and sustained efforts by its faculty and administration that had included it among the country’s best universities.
Dr. Shaikh said Hasan Ali Effendi was the first person in Sindh who realized that the Muslims of Sindh could not progress until they did not attain expertise in science and technology. For that very reason he established this institution because people belonging to other communities were way advanced in the field of education in those times.
He said it was a part of the history that how that institution had played a vital part in changing the whole region after its establishment.
Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh said the personalities that got education from the SMI had played key role in laying foundation of Pakistan. He added though the SMI had primarily been established for the Muslims of Sindh, but people belonging to all faiths would render their services here.
He said former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, his father Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto and daughter, also a twice-elected prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, were also related to the SMIU.
Dr Shaikh said the SMIU offered quality education against affordable fees; while 40 per cent of its students had been given full scholarship.
“We are producing leaders of the future in the shape of students. We offer study tours to our students in and outside the country to enhance their talents,” said Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh.
Justice (R) Sarmad Jalal Usmani said he was hugely inspired by the students’ performance on stage. He said he was proud to be part of an institution which was alma mater of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Christina Tribble of the US consulate general in Karachi congratulated the SMIU’s VC on completion of 134 years to SMIU. She said SMIU was a famous institution and its students were illustrious. She expressed best wishes for the progress of the university.
