SSUET establishes Dr Nabi Bux Baluch Chair

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

Glowing tributes were paid to noted scholar, educationist and researcher, Dr Nabi Bux Balcuh amidst an announcement for the establishment of Dr Nabi Bux Baluch Chair at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, and dedication of corners in the libraries of universities and colleges of Sindh.

The announcement for establishment of Chair after the name of Dr Baluch was made by Engr Z A Nizami, Chancellor SSUET, while the Sindh Senior Minister for Education, Pir Mazhar-ul-Huq, announced the decision to dedicate the corners in his name in the libraries of various universities and colleges of the province. 

The two important announcements were made at a Literary Reference in memory of Late Dr Nabi Bux Baluch held at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, in collaboration with Academy of Letters, and it was largely attended by educationists, scholars, researchers and noted writers. 

Dr Nabi Bux Baluch, a historian, researcher, writer and educationist, wrote over 150 books and his works included translations, compilations and writings in Sindhi, Persian, Arabic and English.

Besides Pir Mazharul Huq, who was chief guest on the occasion and Chancellor Z.A. Nizami, who presided over, the Reference was addressed, among others, by noted scholar and writer Dr Awaz Ali Shauq. 

In his speech on the occasion Pir Mazharul Huq said that Late Dr Baluch was although from Sindh, but he was not merely a Sindh writer but an internationally recognized scholar and educational expert who was imbibed with the Aligarh spirit. 

He recalled that Dr Nabi Bux Baluch wanted 7 percent of National GDP to be spent on education which presently is only 1.2 percent. Referring to a suggestion from Agha Noor Mohammed Pathan, Resident Director Academy of Letters for opening of one-room libraries after the name of Dr Nabi Bux Baluch at tehsil level in Sindh, Pir Mazhar said that there is no problem in opening such libraries, but what was required is to create an eagerness of book reading among students.

He disclosed that the Sindh Education department has prepared a lists of modern books to be purchased for these libraries and it is for the third consecutive year that tendering process for procurement of such books has been undertaken. 

In his Presidential remarks, Chancellor SSUET Z.A. Nizami said that Dr Nabi Bux Baluch had very deep association with Sir Syed University and he remained on its Board of Governors till his last. 

He said his decisions in the meetings of Board of Governors proved land mark decisions. Chancellor Nizami said that Dr Baluch had acquired his education from Aligarh and he used to follow Aligarh Spirit and Concept. 

He disclosed that SSUET has collected most valuable material about the life and achievements of Dr Baluch and will publilsh the same in the form of a book. 

He declared that SSUET will have a chair in the name of Dr Baluch in recognition to his services for the cause of education. In his address Dr Nawaz Ali Shauq said he learnt a lot from two personalities Dr Nabi Bux Baluch and Pir Hasamuddin Rashdi and this helped him in determining his direction of practical life. 

He said that Dr Baluch’s works are glorious and he lived an exemplary life without leaving anything which one would consider imperative for a nation to reckon with.