KARACHI: Eminent neuropsychiatrist Prof Zaki Hasan was the guest of honour at a reception held by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) on Saturday.

The learned doctor who holds many honours from foreign institutions was the professor and head of the neuropsychiatry department at Jinnah Medical Centre in Karachi (1967-87).

The professor directly, involved in the struggle for human rights particularly the rights of working class, had also engaged himself to the cause of peace and against militarization around the world and necelearisation in the subcontinent, the PILER’s secretary said in his introductory remarks.

A founder member and now the president of the PILER, Dr Zaki Hasan is at present the Dean of Jinnah Medical College that he helped start in 1997.

Among those who paid their complements to the honoured guest, included former MNA Khadim Hussain Shah, a known researcher and writer Akber Zaidi, columnist Irfan Hussain and economist Qaiser Bengali. Former Justice Rashid A. Rizvi was in the chair, later joined by Indian peace activist Ms Nirmala Deshpande. They spoke profusely on the humanitarian services of the learned professor and his contribution to the peace efforts waged by the activists in both countries. The speakers, from writers to workers, were in quite a large number representing various sections of society.

Karamat Ali did the compering.—HA