KARACHI, April 4: As many as 631 graduates of Honours and Masters Programmes of 2004 batch were conferred degrees at the fifth convocation of Jinnah University for Women (JUW) on Monday.In addition, the outstanding graduates received 31 shields and 14 gold medals from Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, the patron of the university, for securing first positions in respective departmental examinations and achieving highest marks in their respective faculty.
Among others, a maximum of 302 degrees, including 149 for Masters and 153 for Honours and BEd, were awarded to students of the Arts faculty, while another 246 degrees, including 106 Masters and 140 Honours and bachelors were awarded in the Science faculty. Besides 25 degrees of MBA and 41 degrees of BCS, MCS and BS were handed over to students.
The governor announced cash award of Rs5,000 each for first position holders and Rs10,000 each for those awarded gold medals at the convocation.
He also announced Rs10,000 each for the students who participated in Qiraat and naat khawani.
Dr Ibad congratulated the graduates and pointed out to them that life was a journey of discovery and learning about their environment, their fellow beings and they should now utilize their time and talent in the most befitting manner.
He also commended the efforts of the vice-chancellor in establishing and overseeing the development of new programmes under the guidance of his chancellor. He also lauded the services and role of late Moulvi Riazuddin Ahmad in the establishment of the first women university in the country.
Talking of problems faced by the society, the governor said that people in Pakistan in general and Karachiites in particular were faced with many issues and sought resolution of those from the government.
He said that issues like poverty, inflation, unemployment and law and order were being addressed on a top priority basis and up to considerable extent changes had started taking place. Law and order situation had improved tremendously in the last 2 to 3 years, while industrial and economic activities had also been accelerated and being shaped up in a way that opportunities of employment could be enhanced.
Dr Ibad invited suggestions from people saying that government was open for debate and recommendations on issues of concern.
JUW Chancellor Prof Noorus Saba Chughtai referred to the awakening and desire in young girls to achieve challenging positions in the society and said that demand for admission to the university was also increasing every year.
She said that the university was unable to expand its programme and number of intake of students due to non-availability land.
She requested the governor to extend his support to the university in getting the adjacent playground, a property of the founders of the university that was nationalized along with the Jinnah College in 1970s, back so that new teaching blocks and laboratories could be set up.
The vice-chancellor, Dr Riaz Ahmad Hashmi, said that the progress of the university since its inception had been encouraging. Present enrolment of the university in three-year Honours and 2-year Master programmes of 19 disciplines was around 3,300, as compared to the enrolment of 166 students in the year 1998-99, he added.
Those who were awarded Moulvi Riazuddin Ahmed memorial, Khushhal Khan Khattak, Baba-i-Urdu Abdul Haq memorial and other gold medals are as follows;
Saba Alam, Sobia Naz, Uzma Saeed, Sabeen Ahmed, Saima Haseeb, Saman Mohammad Tauqir, Nadia Najam, Arifa Jalali, Naila Parveen, Sanam Khan, Asiya Maqbool, Sarwat Rizvi, Bushra Kausar and Tooba Latif.
