Waseemuddin Hashmi's Syed Foundation continues making waves

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Syed Foundation (SF), a not for profit and nonpartisan charity trust, has been working actively to achieve its cherished goals since its inception in 2018. Registered under Trust Act, this welfare and development entity has been formed by a group of Syed Family members and friends in Karachi to extend their services to the poor, vulnerable and less privileged people of the society and assist the disaster affected people in Pakistan. It has the status of NPO under section 2(36) of Income Tax Ordinance 2001. 

Striving for a vision of a socially and economically sustainable society where no one sleeps hungry and all people enjoy their basic human rights, it has been working with missionary zeal to serve needy people in best possible way through relief and development assistance in partnership. 

The thematic areas of the SF are Orphan Support and Wellbeing, Youth Development and Sports Promotion, Food Safety and Security, Economic Development, Relief and Rehabilitation and Education and Children’s Development while the cross-cutting themes include Collaboration and Partnership Development, Environment Conservation besides Women Rights and Gender Mainstreaming. 

The aims and objectives of the SF revolve around facilitating the Women, Children, Senior Citizens belonging to less privileged sections of society by providing financial assistance, skill training, tool kits and mentoring in collaboration with partner NGOs, academia and other like-minded organizations. 

They motivate lower income groups including women in establishing small scale business units to enable them earn their livelihood honourably. It has continued to organize regularly hunger elimination projects like distribution of free ration, free meals for poor and deserving people. 

It has reached out needy children and provided financial support in their education by means of scholarships. The SF has helped disaster survivors by providing water, sanitation, hygiene assistance, medical support, food and shelter and other routine needs. 

It has provided assistance to the poor patients by providing medicines, medical treatment, hospitalization and other health facilities. As a part of its mandate, the SF also offers interest free microloans and financial literacy training to empower low-income families, provide vocational training programs equip individuals 

The SF implements community-based kitchen gardening, provide food to orphans, poor families and organize food drives that provide essential food supplies to vulnerable populations, particularly during emergencies, to combat malnutrition. It focuses on women’s empowerment through training and capacity-building initiatives, enabling them to participate in decision-making processes and economic activities. 

The SF has partnered with governmental and non-governmental organizations to enhance the effectiveness of its programs and expand its reach. Its day-to-day operations are managed by a team of five trustees, who volunteer their services and resources to achieve the trust’s predetermined aims and objectives as outlined in the Trust Deed. 

The President, selected by the trustees serves as the head of the organization, who manages the organizational affairs on behalf of the trustees. 

Syed Waseemuddin Hashmi, is the Founder President of the Syed Foundation. He had formed the organization together with other trustees in 2018. A celebrated tax lawyer and corporate consultant, he is a highly respected sports administrator besides being social activist and an eminent philanthropist. He is the motivating force behind the success of the foundation. He has hired a team of professionals to manage the activities of the SF. Currently, the Chief Coordinator looks after the daily organizational matters, with the support of trained associates.

Manchar Lake: Major tourist attraction in Sindh needs attention

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The largest shallow fresh water lake of the country, Manchar Lake is situated at a distance of 18 kilometers from Sehwan Sharif on west side of the River Indus, in District Jamshoro. 

Acclaimed as one of the largest lakes of South Asia, it is one of the major tourist attractions in the province of Sindh. The area of the lake rise and fall with the change if seasons from little as 350 kilometers to as high as 520 kilometers. 

The lake accumulates water from numerous brooks in the Kirthar Mountains and empties them into the Indus River. Manchar is synthetic lake, created in 1930, when the Sukkur barrage was constructed on River Indus. It is sustained by two canals, the Aral and the Danister from the river Indus. 

The lake plays a crucial role in the local ecosystem and economy. It not only provides water for drinking and agriculture in nearby villages but is also home to 30-40 species of fish, supporting the livelihood of local fishermen. 

Additionally, during the winter months, it attracts migratory birds from around the world, particularly Siberia, making it a key habitat for wildlife and a destination for bird watchers. 

There have been media reports of the Manchar Lake water having converted from fresh water to toxic saline water leading to destruction of all species. The nearby agricultural lands are reportedly losing fertility while the lake water could no longer be used for drinking and domestic purposes. 

The authorities are being urged to take care of the lake whose aquifer has been polluted due to penetration of sewerage, urea and other chemicals in sub soil water which has caused health hazards for the area population.

ESUP fetes visiting ESU Chairman

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The English-Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP) hosted a reception in the honour of the visiting Chairman of the English-Speaking Union (ESU), Miles Young, in Karachi on September 24. 

On the occasion, Pervez Madraswala, President, ESUP, presented a plaque to the chief guest, in the presence of the leading ESUP officials which included Aziz Memon (Patron-in-Chief), Majyd Aziz (Honorary Secretary General) and Irfan Qureshi (Senior Vice President). 

Aziz Memon, who is also the President of International Council of ESU, extolled Miles Young for his services to the cause of education in particular. Later, he was also escorted to a visit to the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA). 

It may be recalled that Miles Young had first participated in the ESU’s Public Speaking Competition as a schoolboy. He began his career in advertising, progressing to become Chair and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, a leading global communications network. 

More than half of his working life has been spent outside of the UK, in China, and then in North America. He returned to the UK in 2016 to take up his current post as Warden of New College, Oxford, his alma mater. During his time in the United States, he also served as Chair of the US-Pakistan Business Council and led quite a few delegations to the country.

SLIM Training Session attracts 40 participants

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The participation of nearly 40 librarians in the SLIM Training Session, organized at Adamjee Government Science College on August 22 marked the beginning of the 1st Anniversary Celebrations of the Karachi Library Association (KLA). Master Trainer, Aijaz Akhter Ahmedani, also a member of KLA Executive Committee, conducted the session successfully. 

Prof Nasir Iqbal, Principal, Adamjee College, graced the occasion as the chief guest and distributed certificates among the participants in the closing ceremony. 

Speaking on the occasion, he highlighted the importance of such training sessions which helped immensely in improving skills of the participating individuals and enabled them to serve their respective organizations more effectively. 

The opportunity of attending the software training session, offered free of cost, was availed by a large number of librarians, mostly youngsters. They declared having learnt a lot during four hours from the Master Trainer, who happened to be a PhD Scholar. 

This initiative was aimed at advancing library services and technology integration within educational institutions. Keen interest of the participants reflected their hunger to keep learning. They looked forward to many such opportunities in future.

Veteran librarians share thoughts, experiences in exclusive session

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Veteran librarians Syed Iftikhar Hussain and Niaz Ahmed enlightened the audience by sharing thoughts and experiences of their illustrious careers during ‘Session with Head of Library’ event held at Government Degree Girls College, Gulzar-e-Hijri, on August 23 as a part of 1st Anniversary Celebrations of the Karachi Library Association (KLA). 

The session was presided over by Iftikhar Hussain, who had retired as head of the famous Mahmood Hussain Library at the University of Karachi a few years. A man of few words, he briefly touched upon the challenges faced at managing the affairs of the central library of the iconic institution due to budgetary constraints and other issues. 

Niaz Ahmed, having relocated in Canada after a long-stint as librarian at the head office of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in Karachi, floated the idea of establishing libraries dedicated to children besides making arrangements for vocational training at public libraries. He stressed the need for making libraries as centres for learning. 

The session was also addressed by the KLA office-bearers, Farheen Mahmood (President), Syed Khalid Mahmood (Advisor) and Nasir Mustafa (Secretary). They paid glowing tributes to both the veteran libraries and expressed the hope that they will continue guiding the younger crop of professionals. 

The Principal of Government Degree Girls College, Gulzar-e-Hijri, Sameen Durdana, while proposing the vote of thanks, mentioned that the college library, still in its early days, will be improved with the induction of new books and journals.

Prof Amir Subhani’s thematic cake in spotlight

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Treasurer of Karachi Library Association (KLA), Professor Amir Subhani, was lavishly praised for conceiving and producing a thematic anniversary cake which hogged the spotlight during the ceremony at the Adamjee Government Science College on August 24. 

The Director General, Colleges, Sindh, Prof Dr Navaid Rab Siddiqui, who was the chief guest on the occasion, noted with delight the creativity and thought process before cutting it in the presence of KLA office-bearers and other dignitaries. 

Professor Nasir Iqbal, the host Principal, also appreciated the novel idea of coming up with a such a spectacular cake, while Syed Khalid Mahmood, Advisor, KLA, described it as a masterclass. 

The credit for surprising the audience with such a spectacle belonged to the supremely energetic KLA Treasurer, Professor Amir Subhani, who made lots of efforts to get it designed and baked within the stipulated period despite his preoccupations in organizational matters of anniversary celebrations which began on August 22. 

Fittingly, he was warmly recognized and rewarded for his outstanding efforts. He was wholeheartedly lauded almost by everyone present on the occasion. He richly deserved the compliments.

DG pledges to revamp college libraries in Sindh

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Director General, Colleges, Sindh, Prof Dr Navaid Rab Siddiqui, has pledged to revamp libraries at government colleges, generally in dire straits, throughout the province. 

He was speaking as chief guest in the seminar, Digital Repositories in Libraries: Strategies for Data Preservation and Retrieval, which was organized as a part of the first anniversary celebrations of Karachi Library Association (KLA) at the Adamjee Government Science College on August 24. 

He expressed keen interest in digitalization of libraries, urging the head of colleges to mobilize their available resources in getting hold of computers to get started in this direction. 

He advised the heads to facilitate in providing digital tools at their respective colleges. The DG Colleges defended the absence of quite a few invited Principals from the ceremony by pointing out that they could be preoccupied in the ongoing admission process at their colleges. 

He, however, agreed to the suggestion that legislative changes were desired to ensure participation of working librarians in professional activities instead of carrying out tasks beyond the call of duty at colleges. 

Nasir Mustafa, Secretary General, KLA, conducted the seminar and Professor Farheen Mahmood, President, KLA, delivered the welcome address. Professor Nasir Iqbal, Principal, Adamjee Government Science College, presented vote of thanks while Syed Khalid Mahmood, Advisor, KLA, was the master of ceremony.