December 30, 2008	Tuesday	Muharram 01,1430

KARACHI, Dec 29: Degrees were conferred upon more than 750 students who did their bachelor’s, master’s and PhDs from the University of Karachi in 2007, at the university’s convocation for 2008 held on its campus on Monday.

The convocation was presided over by Sindh’s senior minister for education Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq in his capacity as the pro-chancellor of the university as the Sindh governor and chancellor of the university, Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad, scheduled to preside over the convocation, could not make it owing to other commitments.

The most gratifying aspect of the convocation was that as many as 143 candidates were awarded MPhil and PhD degrees in such disciplines as science, social sciences, management sciences, pharmacy and medicine.

Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq said the convocation was a memorable event not only for the students, their parents and teachers but also for all those who had to look after the academic and administrative affairs of institutes of higher learning.

Felicitating the students on completing their studies and on being awarded the degrees, he reminded them that globalisation had affected every aspect of human life, and education was no exception to it.

He said though it was difficult to precisely define globalisation and describe its various dimensions, one important aspect of it related to higher education and that he was glad to know that Karachi University had addressed the challenges being posed by the phenomenon by providing all possible opportunities required for capacity building, development of academic, research standards and quality assurance programmes.

Lauding the university’s linkage with foreign universities, interaction with the industrial sector and employers, he said that national and international conferences being held at the university in the fields of physical, biological, management and social sciences would further improve its image.

Appreciating the KU’s evening programme, Pir Mazhar said it was also a means of spreading education to all those who could not enrol themselves earlier but now had the opportunity to acquire higher qualification.

Referring to the recently set up Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Chair at the university, he expressed the hope that the subsequent conversion of the chair into Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Institute for Future Studies will further provide an opportunity to scholars and researchers to study contemporary social, political and economic problems being faced by the country and the world at large.

In this regard, he asked the university authorities to acquire the text of lectures the late Ms Bhutto had delivered at various international universities.

Pointing to the great services rendered by Ms Bhutto in the field of education, the pro-chancellor pointed out that it was on her recommendation that he had three bills passed pertaining to setting up of Sir Syed Engineering and Technology University, Sir Ziauddin Medical University, and Baqai Medical University from the Sindh Assembly in 1993.

Recalling that Sindh University, which was set up in Karachi and later shifted to Jamshoro, was the first university of the province and it was his grandfather, Pir Illahi Bakhsh, a close lieutenant of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, had got the bill of the university passed in the Sindh Assembly a year before Pakistan came into being despite strong opposition from Congress leaders.

Referring to the financial constraints of the KU, he said though the university would overcome the difficulties through resource generation activities, the government would try to explore all possibilities to help it in this regard.

“I am sure the financial difficulties will not hinder the academic activities of this great institution and the university will continue its endeavors for the promotion of higher education for the prosperity of the country,” he added.

Wishing success to the graduating students in their future, Pir Mazhar also congratulated their parents on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Karachi University’s vice-chancellor Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui said that the university had the highest concentration of PhD-holders with a share of more than 28 per cent of the national stock of scientists.

Elaborating, he said the KU which was set up in 1951 had produced 1,055 PhDs in different disciplines and, at present, more that 2,600 students were enrolled for MPhil and PhD degrees in various disciplines.

Felicitating the graduating students and their parents, the vice-chancellor said he hoped that they would prove their worth and work selflessly for the progress and prosperity of the country.

Earlier, 77 gold medals were given to the position-holders and those whose overall performance was adjudged the best.