KARACHI: The Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) held its 6th convocation at a local hotel on Thursday, where 376 students were awarded degrees in different disciplines.

The attendees included Sindh Governor Kamran Tissori, Chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission Dr S.M. Tariq Rafi, Chairman of the Charter Inspection and Evaluation Committee Dr Sarosh Lodi and Vice Chancellor of SMIU Dr Mujeebuddin Sahrai Memon.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, also the chief guest, appreciated the students and faculty for their impressive performance, stating that the alma mater of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah continued to uphold its historic legacy by promoting research and maintaining the highest academic standards.

He congratulated the university on producing its first PhD graduate, while emphasising the need for collaboration between public and private universities to uphold rigorous standards in PhD programmes.

CM congratulates varsity on producing its first PhD graduate, says new Malir campus to accommodate 40,000 students

Highlighting SMIU’s illustrious heritage, the chief minister described the university as a symbol of national pride, producing historic figures such as Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto, Sir Abdullah Haroon, Allama I.I. Kazi and Hanif Mohammad.

He paid tribute to its founder, Khan Bahadur Hassanally Effendi, and said that the university’s 140-year-old legacy continued to shape Pakistan’s intellectual and civic landscape.

The chief minister also spoke about the university’s struggle to turn its financial deficit into a surplus.

“This is a rare accomplishment in today’s inflationary environment,” he said, lauding the institution’s rapid growth, including the manifold increase in student enrolment and the development of modern academic facilities.

Referring to future expansion, the chief minister shared that the new Malir campus of SMIU, spread over 100 acres in the Education City, would be hosting up to 40,000 students.

“This campus will not only expand access to quality education but also uplift the local economy through employment generation,” he said, assuring full support from the Sindh government for the university’s ongoing development.

During the ceremony, gold medals were awarded to Yusra from the Faculty of Management, Business Administration and Commerce; Sadaf Khalid from the Faculty of Social Sciences; and Dr Abdullah Ayub Khan, the first PhD of SMIU, from the Department of Computer Science.

The silver medal recipients were: Mahnoor Fatima (Faculty of Education), Muhammad Ahmed Ansari and Wardah Manzoor (Faculty of Information Technology), Yusra and Aimen (Faculty of Management, Business Administration and Commerce), Aizaz Ahmed and Duaa Siddiqui (Faculty of Sciences), Nida Akram and Sadaf Khalid (Faculty of Social Sciences), and Hamna Lakhani (Faculty of Language and Culture).

The bronze medal recipients were: Mahnoor Fatima (Bachelor of Education), Muhammad Ahmed Ansari and Wardah Manzoor (BS Artificial Intelligence), Nazia Bibi and Isna Karim (BS Computer Science), Hanan Ahmed Malik (BS Software Engineering), Yusra and Aimen (Bachelor of Business Administration), Aizaz Ahmed and Duaa Siddiqui (BS Environmental Sciences), Nida Akram (BS Media Studies), Hamna Lakhani (BS English), Amina Akber (BS Development Studies), and Sadaf Khalid (BS Media and Communication Studies).

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2025