KARACHI, Nov 3: The ground-breaking ceremony of Majlis-i-Ilmi School took place at the site on Sunday afternoon.

Azhar Abbas Hashmi, director of the managing body to which the management of Al-Majlis Al-Ilmi is entrusted, spoke about the various problems that have come in the way of the project.

“The idea of the project was conceived in 1985. At least Rs2 million was promised by the United Arab Emirates government. In 1986 a request was made to the Karachi Development Authority. A lot of formalities were fulfilled. A financial statement was prepared, character certificates of the members of the board of governors were submitted and permission from the ministry of education sought. We got a plot in 1990.

“In 1996 we learnt that the KDA had cancelled the plot on the ground that no building had been erected. We pointed out to the KDA that there was no water facility and no connecting road without which construction was not possible. The plot was restored to us only when the ombudsman intervened.”

Mr Hashmi explained that the institute would have a publishing house, a sports complex, a library and other sections for students.

The former vice-chancellor of the University of Karachi, Dr Manzooruddin Ahmad, congratulated the Unikarians, alumni of the university, for setting an example for the alumni of all the other institutes of the country.

He added that education was a key to the development and progress of society. “It is an agent of psychological and economic change. We are still passing through a phase which can be called a transition between colonialism and independence. We can achieve true independence only by educating our people.”

Dr Riazul Islam, professor emeritus of Karachi University, performed the ground-breaking ceremony. Dr Abul Khair Kashfi prayed for the success of the project.

Earlier, the vice consul of the United Arab Emirates, Yusuf Mohammad, also spoke on the occasion.