LARKANA: As many as 317 graduating students received their degrees at the Seventh Convocation of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, on Monday.

The convocation was held at the main Arija Campus on Airport Road some 25 kilometres far from here.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was the chief guest while Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presided over the convocation.

The graduating students included 115 from the Chandka Medical College (CMC), 29 from the Ghulam Mohammed Mahar Medical College Sukkur, 29 from Bibi Aseefa Dental College, 80 from Benazir Nursing College, 29 from the Institute of Pharmacy and 35 from the Institute of Physiotherapy.

Eighteen students were awarded gold medals, 10 silver and eight bronze medals. Girls outshined the boys, as they got 34 of the total 38 medals for their outstanding academic performance.

After the CM declared the convocation open, SMBBMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Nusrat Shah conferred degrees upon graduating students in the traditional manner.

The graduates also took an oath, pledging commitment to their respective professions and dedication to public service.

The ceremony was marked by scenes of pride and joy among graduates and their families.

Before the PPP chairman was invited to the rostrum, a documentary was screened showing slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto addressing the first convocation of the CMC in 1989. The audience with complete silence listened to the speech of Benazir Bhutto who spoke in English and Sindhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bhutto-Zardari it was a great honour to be present at an institution envisioned by his mother.

He described the convocation as a celebration of knowledge, perseverance and hard work and emphasised that the graduates represent the future of the country and must dedicate their skills to the service of humanity.

“Today is not just a celebration of degrees, but it is a celebration of service, sacrifice and hope. This university carries a name which is not merely a memory, but a promise, a promise of courage, compassion, and an unshakable belief in the dignity of human life,” he added.

“When my mother spoke of health, she did not speak only of hospitals and medicine. She spoke of justice, because a society that denies healthcare denies its people of their most basic right, the right to live with dignity. You, the graduates of this university, are now the custodians of that right,” he said.

Talking about challenges, he said: “The world you are entering is not an easy one. We live in a time of pandemic, climate disaster, inequality and conflict. In our own region, we have seen how quickly peace can be tested, how suddenly life can be put at risk. Yet we have also seen something extraordinary: the unity, resilience, and professionalism of our people and institutions when Pakistan was challenged.

“In moments of crisis, doctors, nurses, paramedics and healthcare workers stand shoulder to shoulder with those who defend the nation, protecting life not with weapons, but with knowledge, courage and compassion,” he said.

The PPP chairman told the graduates that their country needed their skills. “Sindh needs your commitment. And humanity needs your compassion,” he said.

He said before partition there was only one university in Sindh, but now the province had 30 institutions of higher learning.

He said every district should have at least one university or its campus.

In his address, the CM stated that SMBBMU has earned a distinguished reputation for academic standards, research, and social responsibility, bringing pride to Larkana and the province.

He urged the fresh graduates to serve as a bridge between people and the state and termed the medical university a ray of hope for millions of people.

Speaking on the occasion, VC Dr Nusrat Shah said the day marked a proud moment as graduates embark on their professional journeys. She reiterated that the university’s mission extends beyond awarding degrees to producing ethical, responsible, and competent healthcare professionals for society.

She presented a memento to Mr Bhutto-Zardari and the CM.

Former CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh PPP President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, MNAs Nafisa Shah, Khursheed Junejo, MPA Jamil Soomro MPA Nida Khuhro and others attended the event.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2025