KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that following the renaissance, London turned itself into the education capital and became the epicentre of knowledge.

“Therefore, going there to expand on your education is a good thing,” he said while speaking at the launch of London Word by Word, organised by the Adabi Committee of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Monday.

The book is a memoir by multimedia journalist and Chevening Fellow Noreen Shams about her experience at the University of Westminster and London.

Speaking about the scholarship programme, the minister said that he had also applied for it and even got selected in 1999. “But that was the year I lost my father and I could not go due to the responsibilities that were thrust upon me suddenly,” he shared. “Therefore I speak about the scholarship with a sense of deprivation. Still, I’m glad that others are benefiting from it and getting the exposure they need. It is also good to write about one’s experiences as it is akin to transferring knowledge,” he said.

Earlier, while introducing the book, television host and video journalist Humair Anwar, who was also moderating the event, said that the book tells you about the young journalist’s Chevening Scholarship journey of learning in London. “Of course, the initial days there are challenging but then as she settles down, gradually, she adapts to things. Still, the book is not without ups and downs,” he said.

The author’s university professor, Dr Samina Qureshi of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Karachi, said that it was an honour to speak at her student’s book launch.

“Noreen is both the narrator and the subject in the book and the story she tells is about the building of bridges between cultures,” she said. “I remember her as a young girl who would always be on time for her classes. She wasn’t the loudest voice but when she spoke she would do it to drive home her point,” the professor remembered fondly.

Senior journalist and analyst Mazhar Abbas appreciated the author for describing her experiences in London so well. “Falling sick when alone in a new place can be an inconvenience, when you have to take care of yourself. She writes about that but she also writes about visiting places such as the BBC office, the Economist office and so much more,” he said.

Head of Strategic Communications and Campaigns at the British High Commission, Mohammad Shoaib, said that it is great to see that a British scholarship recipient has written about her experience. “The book is good reading material for others who apply for the scholarship and want to know what to expect,” he said.

The author of the book, Noreen Shams, said that journalists like herself tell other people’s stories all the time but there is no one to tell their story. “I thought to do it myself,” she said.

“Our curiosity takes us places. So there I was with my suitcase and lots of questions in my head when heading to London after being selected for the scholarship. I was both excited and overwhelmed. And London presented to me a different perspective about human beings. With London as the backdrop I learned more than journalism. I met people who were kind and empathetic, I saw how the English preserve their history, how they respect each other’s space. Your perspective matters but it is not the only perspective,” she said, adding that many people write books but it matters when someone reads those books.

“I want this book to inspire others to dream about growing in their careers. Things happen as you manifest them. Dreams definitely come true,” she concluded.

Journalists Qazi Asif and Aamir Latif also spoke. KPC Secretary Aslam Khan gave the vote of thanks.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2026