SWABI: Two-day silver jubilee celebrations of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIK) ended on Wednesday with a pledge to continue its journey of excellence and producing students who are held in high esteem by national and multinational companies.

Jehangir Bashar, rector GIK Institute, Pro-Rector (Academics), Prof Dr Jameelun Nabi, Pro-Rector (Admin and Finance) Ahsan Bashir Sheikh, former rector of GIK Institute Prof Dr Abdullah Sadiq, GIK Institute Alumni Association (GIKIAA) president Irfanul Haq Chaudhry and a large number of former students from numerous foreign countries and different parts of Pakistan participated in the celebrations.

The celebrations started with the national anthem presented by students of GIK College. The participants paid rich tributes to the founder of the institute, former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan.

They said the first batch crossed the GIK Institute’s portal in 1993 and the first convocation was held in 1997. So far, out of the total of 5,300 graduates of the institute, 4,815 were BS, 420 MS and 65 PhDs. At present about 2,000 are acquiring modern education in various disciplines of engineering and management sciences. The institute has also plans to introduce more programmes in the future, they said.

It was a unique occasion, with the alumni returning to their mother institution, reminding them of the pleasant memories of their student life, which was a golden period of their education.

The former students said that the positions they got in different companies and organisations were all due to the GIK Institute’s knowledge acquiring environment and the quality education they received here.

Prof Sadiq, who was also part of the initial planning of GIK Institute, said that the silver jubilee was a great event. We enjoyed meeting with former students, especially those from its first, pioneering batch as well as some former faculty members.

Engr Jehangir Bashar said that the GIK Institute alumni are our true ambassadors who had supported the institute in its efforts to impart contemporary education to the students.

‘‘We have an engaged, active, strong and supportive alumni network. GIKIAA has been making dedicated efforts in contributing to the institute on continuing basis,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2019