BAHAWALPUR: The six-month long centenary celebrations of the foundation of the Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), formerly Jamia Abbasia Bahawalpur (JAB), kicked off here on Tuesday (today).

The celebrations began with a colourful inaugural ceremony held at the IUB’s Urdu and Iqbaliat department, attended by its former heads and teachers, including Prof Dr Shafiq Ahmed and Prof Dr Aqila Shaheen. The serving teachers of the varsity were also present.

IUB Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Kamran, who was not in the city, in his message expressed his best wishes for the university.

The university (then named Jamia Abbasia) was established on the pattern of Jamia Azhar, Cairo, and Jamia Osmania of (now defunct) state of Hyderabad Deccan, on June 22, 1925.

At Jamia Abbasia Bahawalpur, English was taught as an additional subject as a specialisation.

During the late president Ayub Khan’s regime, the then West Pakistan governor Nawab Malik Amir Muhammad Khan of Kalabagh, during his visit to Jamia Abbasia, ordered introduction of modern subjects, along with Arabic and Fazil programmes.

However, it was upgraded as a full-fledged university during the Pakistan People’s Party’s government headed by late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The Punjab Assembly had enacted IUB’s bill separately in 1975, along with that of Bahauddin Zakriya University, Multan, despite the opposition from influential political figures of the region. The IUB announced that the celebrations will continue till Dec 31.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2025