29 February 2004	Sunday	08 Muharram 1425

HYDERABAD, Feb 28: A total of 248 Isra University graduates were awarded degree of MBBS, BDS, information technology, computer sciences, business administration, bachelor of medical technology and bachelor of physiotherapy at the first convocation of the university on Saturday.

Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ibad was scheduled to preside over the convocation but due to his preoccupations, he could not make it and the ceremony was presided over by the university chancellor, Prof (Dr) Mohammad Saleh Memon.

Amongst 248 graduates, eight candidates received gold medals and 16 others were decorated with silver medals for their outstanding academic performance.

Dr Memon in his presidential address paid tribute to the services of Isra Islamic Foundation chairman Prof (Dr) Ghulam Qadir Kazi and vice-chancellor Isra University Dr Asadullah Kazi.

He called upon the students to fully concentrate on their studies to shoulder their responsibilities for the progress and prosperity of the country.

"Medicine is the best profession, but the worst business", he observed.

Dr Asadullah Kazi said two batches of 1997-98 and 1998-99 had completed their degree programme. During this period, several other batches of students had also completed their degree programme, offered by the department of computer and management sciences, he added.

He said faculties of medicines and allied medical sciences and computer and management sciences were offering the degree programmes of MBBS, BCS (hons), BIT, BBA (hons), BBA (IT), MCS, MIT, MBA, MITM and M.Phil.

The Margalla Institute of Health Sciences at Islamabad, affiliated with the university, was also offering BDS, B.Sc. (physiotherapy) and B.Sc. medical technology degree programmes, he added.

He said the MBBS programme had been provisionally recognized by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, adding thefirst batch of students had been registered with PMDC.

Dr Kazi said the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan had also recognized the university's graduate training programme leading to the fellowship of CPSP in the fields of gynaecology and obstetrics, medicine, general surgery and ophthalmology.