KARACHI: Distinguished graduates of the Karachi University (KU), members of the university alumni association, teaching and non-teaching staff members, along with administrative officials celebrated Youm-i-Jamia on Wednesday by according a warm welcome to the newly enrolled students and their parents at the Silver Jubilee Gate.

The event was jointly organised by Unikarians Intern­ational — KU alumni association — and the university admin­istration.

Part of the event was an orientation programme held adjacent to the administrative block followed by introductory lectures in the departments.

Organised every year, the Youm-i-Jamia at the KU campus constitutes a unique gathering wherein newly enrolled students, along with the graduates, teachers, alumni and the vice chancellor follow the 30 Huffaz-i-Quran from the Silver Jubilee Gate while reciting the Holy Quran and reach the administrative block.

KU Students’ Adviser Dr Syed Asim Ali briefed the audience about how university was shifted to the existing place, while highlighting the importance of the day and sharing moments from its glorious past.

“The University of Karachi is mini Pakistan, as it has students from every corner of the country,” said KU Vice Chancellor Prof Khalid Mahmood Iraqi while welcoming students and their parents to the university.

He added that this distinction was not achieved by any other university in the country. He informed the audience that due to limited resources available, access to higher education was not easy for everyone.

“You are lucky to have the opportunity to get higher education. Success is not based on desire, but hard work,” he added.

He said the university had always been trying to enlighten the youth of Pakistan with the pursuit of knowledge.

In his remarks, Arts Council president Ahmed Shah said that modern technology had made things easy and now students could access information from multiple sources.

“My request to teachers is to not let the creativity of the students die and ask them to encourage students to share their thoughts in the classrooms.”

Unikarians International President Prof Ejaz Ahmed Faruqi said: “You are lucky to have entered the largest university in Pakistan. Now, you need to focus your full attention on education and the job of university is to build your personality apart from education and when you graduate from here, you will realise how much your personality has improved with your degree.”

The president of Karachi University Teachers’ Assoc­iation, Professor Dr Solaha Rahman, while welcoming the new students on behalf of all the teachers, said that KU was an institution of higher education and research that had a special place in society due to its high status.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2023