KMC introduces ‘My Library’ project at schools

Pakistan News & Features Services

The Administrator of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, has declared that steps were being taken for the elimination of ghost workers culture in the schools and other educational institutions.

A three-member committee has been formed for repairing and maintenance of school’s buildings whereas introduction of short courses for special children in the KMC elementary colleges was also under consideration. 

The meeting also decided to setup a library named “My Library” in every school where the students and teachers would bring books from their home to develop study culture in the KMC schools. 

The Administrator addressed the meeting of the KMC education officers, school principals and teachers on December 30. The meeting was also attended by the Advisor to Administrator Karachi, Brig A S Nasir, Director Education, Jamil Farooqui, and Director Schools (Female), Sumbul Qureishi. 

The Administrator urged the officers to ensure better standard of education in the KMC schools which, he reckoned, needed urgent attention. He emphasized that the teachers have a great responsibility of imparting good quality education to children, adding that the education sector was considered as the backbone of any nation. 

The Advisor to Administrator, Brig Nasir, informed the meeting that more than 200 ghost employees were sacked already which made Rs 50 to Rs 60 lacs of saving in the monthly salary bills. 

He also directed the education department to compile full bio-data of all the teachers including their date of appointment, promotion and ACR details. He said that the teachers must ensure punctuality and focus on raising the standard of education. 

Brig Nasir pointed out that the extracurricular activities were also encouraged in schools besides the regular studies. He said that the introduction of short courses for special children in four of the KMC’s elementary colleges was under consideration. 

These children, he added, would be offered courses in computer hardware & mobile, TV, radio, repairing, welding, woodwork and in other professional and technical disciplines. 

The thee-member committee, formed for repairing and maintenance of school buildings, was advised to submit its report after conducting the full survey of schools in this connection.

Dr Durreshahwar Pervez elected Karachi Gymkhana’s first-ever lady Vice President

Pakistan News & Features Services

Dr Durreshahwar Pervez has created history of sorts by getting elected as the first lady Vice President of the Karachi for the year 2015. It’s for the first time in the 128-year-old history of the club when a lady has been elected as its Vice President. 

She earned the honour by having secured the highest number of votes (1086) in the annual elections which were held at the club’s premises the other week. 

A practicing physician and an active social worker, she is a graduate of the Dow Medical College. She is blessed with two daughters and son while her husband’s job in Merchant Navy provided the opportunity to the family to sail around the world. 

Community service has been very dear to her heart and Dr Durreshahwar Pervez has been serving the humanity with great passion. She had looked after the modest clinic on the ship which was under second mate. 

She has done a lot of social work with the emphasis on taking caring of the patients belonging to the low income group. She has been providing medicines and other facilities to the deserving patients. 

Dr Durreshahwar Pervez had also volunteered her services during the inaugural edition of IDEAS, the biennially held international defence exhibition, at the Karachi Expo Centre in 2000. She has fond memories of the IDEAS-2000 in which she had contributed in making the foot paths and colouring the building to uplift the Expo Centre arena which earned her appreciation.

KMC Inter-District Girls Sports Festival to pave way for healthy activities

Pakistan News & Features Services

The participation of well over one thousand young female athletes in the recently held Inter-District Girls Sports Festival, organized by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), served the purpose of engaging the youth in healthy activities. 

Brig A S Nasir, Advisor to Administrator KMC, who was the Event Director of the festival, was satisfied with the week-long event, the first of its kind to be organized exclusively for the girl students of the metropolis. 

“No doubt it could have been better. Yet it’s heartening to have made a start. There are quite a positives to be derived from this festival and we will make it count in future,” he remarked in an interview. 

“We managed to provide PT shoes to 200 students while as many participants were awarded track suits. The idea was to facilitate and encourage them. Bringing smiles on the faces of the girls was an accomplishment of sorts,” Brig Nasir reckoned. 

“It’s indeed a tragedy that the majority of the girls students in our schools don’t have the access to proper sporting facilities. A lot has to be done in this direction. This initiative of ours was intended to be a a stepping stone towards reviving sports culture in the society,” he felt. 

He acknowledged the unstinted support of Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, Administrator, KMC, in making the festival possible despite the resource constraints. 

“The sports festival was a part of the drive undertaken by the KMC Administrator to mobilize the educational institutions being run by the metropolitan corporation. He is eager to make things happen for the betterment of education,” Brig Nasir complimented. 

Competitions were held in athletics, badminton, cricket, football, karate, netball, swimming, tennis and table tennis in the KMC Inter-District Girls Sports Festival. 

Besides the schools being run by the KMC, the various events were also contested by the students of the private schools of the city and there was participation of institutions like The American School, Habib Public School, Aga Khan School and Beaconhouse School System. 

The Pakistan Sports Board’s Karachi Centre, famously known as the National Sports Training and Coaching Centre (NSTCC), played host to the majority of the events while Women Sports Complex, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, KMC Sports Complex, Kashmir Road, and TMC Ground, Gulberg were also used as the venues. 

The KMC Administrator, Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, and his Advisor, Brig S A Nasir, were showered with praise for having fulfilled their promise of holding the festival according to the original plan despite the odds being stacked heavily against them. 

Meanwhile the KMC Administrator remarked that the Peshawar tragedy left deep effects on children’s minds and by holding the sports festival they tried to help these children come out of this shock and be prepared to attend their routine works besides taking part in educational as well as extracurricular activities. 

“The KMC Inter-District Girls Sports Festival will pave the way for more positive and healthy activities in educational institutions and specially the girls would participate with even better spirit in the educational and sports activities,” he said during his speech in the closing ceremony at the Pakistan Sports Board’s Karachi Centre. 

Rauf Akhtar Farooqui did not mince words in stating that such festivals go a long way in unfolding the talent of the students. He urged the teachers to pay special attention on their work and bring further improvement in the standard of KMC-run schools.

Mathematician Shaukat Abbasi’s death condoled

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A joint meeting of the members of the Karachi Mathematical Association (KMA) and the Department of Mathematics of the Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET), was held to condole the death of Prof Shaukat Abbas Abbasi, a renowned mathematician and a member of the Aligarh Muslim University Old Boy’s Association (AMUOBA). 

Prof Shaukat Abbasi, a mathematician of high calibre, served various national and international universities for several years and he has left behind a large number of students to mourn his death. 

He has a number of publications to his credit including many books having been brought out by reputed publishers. 

The condolence meeting was attended, among others, by Prof Dr Syed Jawaid Hassan Rizvi, Vice Chancellor, SSUET, and President, KMA, who paid rich tribute to the services of the Professor and prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace. He also prayed for his near and dear ones to have courage to bear this irreparable loss.

Dr Amna Khatoon recognized for long-term LIS service

Pakistan News & Features Services

Dr Amna Khatoon, who retired recently from government service, was recognized for pursuing a long career in the field of library and information science. 

The luncheon reception in her honour, held in Karachi on December 27, was hosted by Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, a former chairperson of the Library & Information Science department at the University of Karachi. 

Prominent among those present on the occasion were Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, ex-chairman of the Library & Information Science department at the University of Karachi, Azra Qureshi, former Chief Librarian, Aga Khan University Hospital, and Dr Nasreen Shagufta, Secretary, Bazm-e-Akram. 

Dr Amna Khatoon, who earned a gold medal for securing first position first in the Masters of Library & Information Science (MLIS) at the University of Karachi in 1980, joined the profession with a stint at the Hamdard University Library in 1982 where she had the honour of working under the guidance of the legendary Hakim Mohammad Said. 

She was appointed as a librarian at the Government Osmania Girls College in 1983 from where she has recently retired after having served the institution for over three decades. In between she had received an appointment letter from University of Karachi but she preferred not to join her Alma Mater. 

She, however, accepted the offer of conducting courses at the Allama Iqbal Open University and she has had very long association with them. She has taught various subjects of library science and her students could be found in every nook and corner of the country. 

Dr Amna Khatoon has also remained associated with the Pakistan Bibliographic Working Group (PBWG) since 1981 and she has been serving it as the Principal since 2011. She also authored a book in 2012 which is prescribed for the intermediate students of Library & Information Science. 

Beyond retirement from the government service she has quite a few plans up her sleeves to keep her engaged round the clock in the future as well. Now she would be devoting more time to her other profession of being a homeopathic doctor at her clinic in Federal-B-Area. 

Dr Amna Khatoon, who is a life member of the Pakistan Library Association (PLA), also desires to concentrate more on her scholastic activities.

SANA condemns Peshawar carnage

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) has condemned in strongest words the cowardly attack on a school of Peshawar and killing of innocent children, and announced to arrange vigils in Houston, USA and Toronto, Canada, for martyred people specially the students and teachers of Peshawar school assassinated by cruel terrorists. 

The SANA President, Jamil Daudi, through a press statement, issued on behalf of the executive council and all the members expressed his deep sorrow over the tragedy. 

He observed that the grief and pain of those families cannot be measured who have lost their loved once in this barbaric act. 

He said that the children are like angels and all the colours of world are because of them, and killing them in the name of Islam is like killing whole humanity. 

Jamil Daudi was of the opinion that through killing children and women, those elements basically were trying to take revenge from the people of Pakistan because people have rejected them. 

The SANA President added that not only the people of Peshawar and Pakistan at whole were shocked on this barbaric act but the entire world was in a state of sorrow and we all shared the grief of those parents and families who have lost their kids and beloveds in this tragedy. 

Jamil Daudi appealed Sindhi community of Houston to participate in a vigil for the victims on at Westheimer and Post Oak. Another vigil was planned to be arranged at Chicago’s Daley Centre. In Canada, the SANA Vice President, Aijaz Kolachi, has arranged a vigil at South Fletchers Community Center, Brampton Town of Greater Toronto Area to express sympathy to victims and grieved families.

Aziz Memon urges aggressive approach towards SMEs

Pakistan News & Features Services

“Pakistan needs adopt aggressive approach towards Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and follow the modules of Japan, Korea and Taiwan in this direction to transform the economy.” 

This was stated by Aziz Memon, one of the leading entrepreneurs of the country, in an interview in which he threw light on the importance of the SMEs and the decisive role they play in boosting the economy. 

“The banking sector should prefer to finance small business like PM youth loan and the government should provide all basic facilities to the SMEs, like road, electricity, gas and water. Let there be more friendly policies to boost the SMEs in Pakistan,” he advised. 

Having presided over and addressed many meetings, workshops and lectures in Japan, Korea and Taiwan regarding SMEs growth and activities, Aziz Memon, Chairman, Kings Group, reckoned that Pakistan has no other option but to develop the SMEs if the country is to expand the industrial growth at par with world level. 

“At first, Japan sets a module to develop its small business. Then there are Korea and Taiwan who followed in the footsteps. They all are very successful,” he remarked. 

“If the government has a plan and can give attention to the SMEs then we can change our economy. Every small business as a different issue and we have to solve it,” he reckoned. 

“The PM loan scheme is not a game changer for the SMEs as this is not ensuring basic facilities for growth of the SMEs but it is touching just one aspect of financing. No skills development, no provision of basic needs like water, gas and electricity with this scheme. A successful plan may not be enough for the small business in Pakistan,” Aziz Memon added. 

“As we are now promoting big industry, it will assure good for small business, job market and overall tax collection as well. We cannot provide jobs to all graduates and frankly speaking it is almost impossible for us to provide good jobs to all young people, so it is imperative to guide them towards entrepreneurship. If every entrepreneur gives jobs to five people, then you can say it is taking care of at least 50 persons directly or indirectly,” he observed. 

“I have a clear module for development of small business in Pakistan. First of all, the banks should start schemes for start-up capitals and the government should encourage them to do so or give a friendly policy,” he suggested. 

“Secondly, there should be skill development and proper training for all people who want to start their entrepreneur and manage their own business. Every year there should be at least two batches of the classes or workshops for them. After trained them mentally, and prepared them for risk management, they should be provided with a guide to most suitable business areas,” he explained. 

“On the government part, all basic facilities should be provided without any delay. So, if any area has some SMEs, it must have roads, gas, telephone, electricity and water available,” Aziz Memon concluded while volunteering his services to the government for advising them on this matter if needed.

SSUET students, faculty denounce Peshawar attack

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The barbaric and savage act played at the Army Public School, Peshawar, on December 16, was vehemently denounced at a condolence get-together held at the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, the following day.

On the occasion Fateha was offered for the departed innocent lives which was very largely participated by the university students besides entire faculty staff members. 

Also attending the special prayers were Chancellor SSUET, Engr Mohammad Adil Usman, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Jawed H. Rrizvi, Registrar Syed Abrar Ali, Dean and Vice-Dean Prof Dr S M Makhdoomi and Prof Dr Najeeb besides chairpersons of the various departments. 

The grim-faced participants prayed to Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and grant fortitude to the bereaved families on this grave national tragedy. Prayer was offered for greater national unity to combat the elements of terror and resolved to let no stone unturned to counter terrorism with their unity. 

The university was engulfed in a sad atmosphere and many male and female students, while talking about the grim tragedy at Peshawar, could not stop their tears rolling down.

SSUET final semester exams commence

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The final semester examinations in all the disciplines and all batches have commenced at the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, as the future engineers devote all their energies in further proving their academic excellence prior to stepping into the professional arena.

While the regular exams will continue up to December 20, the process of new admissions for the academic year 2015 has also started simultaneously at the SSUET. 

The university has announced December 15 as the last date for payment of admission fee and completion of related formalities. 

This year, the newly introduced electrical engineering has emerged as the second most sought after discipline after civil engineering. 

According to Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Jawed H Rizvi, the new academic session will start from January 19, 2015, with the Orientation Day scheduled to be held at the Karachi Expo Centre.

Ambassador Claes revisits Belgium and beginning of Great War

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The role of Belgium before and during the World War-I was highlighted by the Belgian Ambassador, Peter Claes during an exhaustive discourse at a get-together of the English Speaking Union of Pakistan, held the Beach Luxury Hotel on December 4. 

The function was chaired by the ESUP’s President, Aziz Memon, who, in his welcome address earlier, spoke about growing Pakistan-Belgium relationship. 

The Belgian Ambassador's topic of the talk was "Belgium and the beginning of the great war" during which he dwelt at length about his nation's role at the beginning, during and after the war. Marking the centenary of the First World War, Ambassador Peter Claes recalled the history of Belgium and how it became a country. 

In his discourse, he recalled when European leaders gathered in Vienna in 1815 to redraw the map of their region and thereby the Southern Catholic Netherlands and Northern Protestant Netherlands were united to form the Kingdom of Netherlands with two capitals, one in Amsterdam and the other in Brussels. 

However, this union, he stated, lasted only for 15 years after the Belgians living in the kingdom revolted and seceded in 1830. After it became independent, the Belgians offered to Leopold to become their king which he accepted and the decision to do so, Ambassador Claes opined, had far-reaching implications since Leopold was related to the royal family of England, firstly as the son-in-law of King George IV and then as a maternal uncle of Queen Victoria. 

It ensured two things-one the Great Britain recognized and supported the new country and the other Great Britain became the guarantor of its neutrality, which was one of the pre-requisites of European leaders in order to recognize the new country. 

Ambassador Claes said Belgium invested more in industry and neglected its military aspect. Nevertheless, Belgium did safeguard its cities by erecting forts, perhaps foreseeing the developing militarist intentions of neighboring countries like France, Germany and Russia. Continuing, the Ambassador said that in essence First World War was a Balkan war. Austria-Hungary had declared war on Serbia. Russia had mobilized its forces against Austria-Hungary. 

Germany was supporting Austria-Hungary. Germany faced a terrible choice because it had to fend off two enemies: France and Russia. France was particularly hostile to Austria-Hungary and Germany. The hostility between France and Germany dated back to the Franco-Prussian War in 1870.” 

“Germany promised us all kinds of help even going to the extent of promising us territorial compensation from France. We were given only 12 hours to decide. Everyone from the king to the Prime Minister to the parliament rejected the ultimatum. This automatically led to war and on Aug 4, 1914 the Germans entered Belgium and Liege was the first Belgian city that Germany attacked.” 

The Ambassador said the battle lasted for seven days, which is a considerable period of time, since our policy of neutrality meant that our military strength was negligible and yet we defended ourselves which was a no mean thing especially against the enormous German forces who used heavy artillery and destroyed forts in the city. 

According to Ambassador Claes, Belgium tried to organize as best as they could, but because of their policy of neutrality, they did not have a tradition of defence. Germany didn’t expect resistance from Belgians In fact in the Battle of the Silver Helmets the Belgian cavalry defeated the German troops. 

The Germans kept advancing through Belgium and torched several towns and killing many defenceless civilians. Giving the example of the Battle of Ypres, he said the town was completely ruined by the Germans during the Great War. Speaking about Belgium's stance of neutrality in the Great War, he said during the first days of the war, Belgium maintained its neutrality. Officially it was never part of the alliance. 

"We controlled our own forces.” But this policy was challenged again in 1940 when Germany invaded Belgium without warning. This is why his country lost faith in this policy and invested in the multilateralism and hence it was one of the founder members of Nato, United Nations and European Union. 

While concluding, Ambassador Claes became emotional when he recounted the services rendered by the soldiers of the subcontinent who had participated in the First World War. 

“Nearly one-third of people of this soil that had nothing to do with the war, came in cold, misery and mud, away from their beloved to fight and defend our freedom and our homeland. The first Muslim to be awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery was given to a private named Khudadad Khan," he recalled. 

On the occasion President ESUP, Aziz Memon, presented the ESUP plaque to Ambassador Peter Claes. Secretary General, Majyd Aziz, Senior Vice President, Abdul Kader Jaffer, Senior Vice President Byram D Avari, were also present on the occasion.

Jahangir Moghul proposes National Library Day on Dec 2

Pakistan News & Features Services

Jahangir Moghul, a renowned social figure and philanthropist, has proposed December 2 to be celebrated as the National Library Day of Pakistan to commemorate the birth anniversary of Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, one of the pioneers of Library & Information Science in the country, as an acknowledgement to his contributions.

It was in the fitness of things that Jahangir Moghul, having been elected as the Governor of Rotary International’s District 3271 for the year 2015-16, made the announcement during a meeting with Dr Sabzwari, the Founder President of the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB) and the Founder Chief Editor of the Pakistan Library Science & Information Journal (PLISJ), on his 79th birthday which was celebrated in a simple but graceful manner on December 2.

Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, the first-ever woman library scientist to have earned the doctorate degree, who has authored more than 30 books, and Dr Nasreen Shagufta, Secretary, Bazm-e-Akram, and Editor, PLISJ, were also present on the occasion.

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari and Prof Dr Nasim Fatima have served as the chairperson of the Library Science & Information department at the University of Karachi, while Dr Nasreen Shagufta has taught the subject at the various colleges, besides also having served as a librarian.

“Let me announce at this moment that Rotary International’s District 3271, on its part, will be holding a grand function on December 2, 2015 to mark the National Library Day and pay tribute to Dr Sabzwari, having become a legend in his own lifetime,” Jahangir Moghul declared.

“We will submit a proposal to the concerned authorities to take the necessary action to approve December 2 as the National Library Day at the governmental level and facilitate programmes to promote library culture in every nook and corner of the country,” he added. 

“We are really inspired by the untiring efforts of Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari and his team, which has worked selflessly for decades. They are the people who are the role models for the youngsters. Let us recognize their services at the highest level,” Jahangir Moghul felt.

“The awareness about the libraries will be helpful in guiding the young generation. They will be inclined towards reading in their leisure hours which will let them learn but their culture and the country in a detailed manner. The National Library Day could be a perfect occasion to kickstart this campaign,” he reckoned.

Jahangir Moghul congratulated Dr Sabzwari for having pursued the scholastic activities with missionary zeal and hoped that his example will be followed by the other luminaries in the profession.

Dr Saira Bano to head KCCI’s Women Entrepreneurs Sub-Committee

Pakistan News & Features Services

Dr Saira Bano, a household name in the business circles, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Women Entrepreneurs Sub-Committee of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) for the year 2014-15. She has been a member of the committee in the past as besides having served on the chamber's Informational Technology Committee.

Having done Masters in Political Science from the University of Karachi, she has remained associated with the Kalia Group since 2001. The founding General Secretary of the Ko-Ordination Group, she has distinguished herself in the field of community service as well besides proving her mettle in administration. She is currently the Chairperson of the Ko-ordination Group.

Dr Saira Bano and her committee will be taking care of the issues pertaining to the women entrepreneurs as the KCCI endeavours to be recognized as the leading voice of the Karachi business community. 

The newly elected KCCI Managing Committee, with Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra being the President, has already assumed office and the various sub-committees have been formed to discharge their duties.

Brief Profile: Rabia Zuberi

Pakistan News & Features Services

Rabia Zuberi, Founder Principal, Karachi School of Art, has been acclaimed as Pakistan’s top woman sculptor. She was received numerous awards in her illustrious career, taking pride in having dedicated her life to art and art education..

Rabia Zuberi on Jumbo Karachi Guide

Pakistan News & Features Services

“Art is an intimate expression of the creator’s soul and expresses. It has always been a pleasure welcoming new talent of Karachi whose youthfulness and energy allied with burning desire to succeed enable them to become stars of sorts in their careers.” 

“At the Karachi School of Art, we have been undertaking the responsibility of grooming and guiding the budding artists, academically and technically, since 1964."

"I can say with conviction that, like many other fields, Karachi has enormous talent in arts as well. The youngsters have tremendous potential to move forward and accept the challenges." 

“Jumbo Karachi Guide is a wonderful publication, containing useful information for the students as well as the professionals. The design aspects have also been taken care of while producing the book making it all the more worthwhile.”

Brief Profile: Sultana Siddiqui

Pakistan News & Features Services

Sultana Siddiqui, as the President of Hum Network Limited, has done wonders by coming up with innovative ideas to become one of the market leaders in the entertainment industry in a remarkably short span of time.

Sultana Siddiqui on Jumbo Karachi Guide

Pakistan News & Features Services

“I applaud the publication of this wonderful book on Karachi. It’s enriching to discover that Jumbo Karachi Guide is a comprehensive travel guide of the city in which invaluable information has been put together covering the topics from cultural heritage of the city to food and entertainment."

"It’s an excellent contribution in promoting the image of the city and the country to the world.” 

“Jumbo Karachi Guide can serve as a powerful marketing tool to promote trade and tourism. An informative book supported by rare and interesting pictures provides the much-needed reference material for tourists who desire to know in advance about the attractions and the facilities of a particular destination.” 

“The dissemination of information on travel and tourism-related products and services are highly important because the tourist remains desirous to know other related information of the visit to make it safe, secured and enjoyable. Such a good book also makes a perfect souvenir for the tourists to bring home to relish their memorable trip.”

Brief Profile: Anwar Rasheed

Pakistan News & Features Services

Anwar Rasheed, a veteran in in the trade of travel and tourism, happens to be the Vice Chairman of the Southern Zone of the Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP), covering the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan.

Anwar Rasheed on Jumbo Karachi Guide

Pakistan News & Features Services

“Karachi, the commercial capital of Pakistan, located on Arabian Sea with a moderate temperature, has an estimated population of as many as 20 million people from all corners of Pakistan, a city as diverse as the entire country.”  

“It has remained one of the most important cities of the continent. It has a permanent cultural agenda which is reflected in its museums and art galleries. The old structures are part of its heritage.” 

“There are modern hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and outlets where visitors can purchase the latest fashion and creations by haute couture local designers. It has numerous venues for business, events and conventions consolidate it as one of the favourite destinations for executives worldwide.” 

“Jumbo Karachi Guide has showcased the vital information about the city in an elegant manner and presented it in handy format. It has a varied content offering domestic and foreign tourists alike reading pleasure as well.”

Brief Profile: Sikander Mahmood

Pakistan News & Features Services

Sikander Mahmood happens to be the Chief Executive Officer of the Arabian Sea Enterprises Limited which owns the Movenpick Hotel in Karachi. Previously the company was operating the Sheraton Karachi Hotel until December 2013.

He served as the chairman of the Pakistan Hotel Association (PHA) from 2010 to 2013, during which he developed innovative strategies to address the industry’s core issues and worked proactively to seek remedial actions. 

Sikander Mahmood was a Director of Pakistan Reinsurance Company Limited (PRCL) for three years. He was elected on the Board of the PRCL with the support of business community in 2010. He headed its claims committee while he was a member of the investment committee. 

He had a long stint of nearly 13 years with the Yemen Commercial Bank for whom he worked as General Manager and Chief Executive from February 1993 to October 2005. He was responsible for the overall operation and supervision of the bank having a network of eight branches in major cities.

Sikander Mahmood on Jumbo Karachi Guide

Pakistan News & Features Services

“Karachi is considered as one of the most important investment destinations for new hotel development. The hotels in the city have started witnessing substantial growth of late, both in terms of occupancy and average rate.”

“The hotel industry has been playing its role in enhancing tourism, increasing tourist arrivals and making an instrument for generating employment, alleviating poverty and increasing foreign exchange earnings.”

“Our sector is also engaged in promoting affordable, accessible and enjoyable domestic tourism besides supporting sports and cultural festivals to attract more visitors to our country.”

“The Pakistan Hotels Association welcomes the initiative of Jumbo Karachi Guide, which can certainly help immensely in enhancing tourism, and we assure our support to the venture. It’s very heartening that its second edition is being brought out with updated contents.”

Brief Profile: Iqbal Umar

Pakistan News & Features Services

Iqbal Umar is recognized as one of the leading entrepreneurs and social figures of Pakistan. He has held key positions at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), the Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) and other trade bodies besides having served on the board of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT).

Having playing first-class cricket in his university days, he remains passionate about the game in the role of a commentator and an administrator. 

With his vast knowledge and understanding of the sport, he has widely been tipped as a potential candidate for becoming the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He, however, was elected to the Governing Board of the PCB.

He has been particularly vocal for the cause of developing more playgrounds in Karachi. He has advocated for the infrastructure development besides the revival of historic cricket grounds of the city.

Iqbal Umar holds a unique distinction of having been elected unopposed as the President of the Karachi Gymkhana on a couple of occasions. As a left-arm-spinner, he has continued playing cricket at the club level for a number of decades.

He was one of the pioneers of the Karachi Gymkhana Ramazan Festival Cricket Tournament which has gone on to become the leading annual event of its kind being held in the country.

Iqbal Umar on Jumbo Karachi Guide

Pakistan News & Features Services

“Karachi is a complete city. It has witnessed an incredible growth over the last six decades and a small town with the population of just a few lakhs at the time of the Independence is now the home to nearly 20 million people.” 

“Karachi is an international city with facilities of all kinds available for people of all classes. It has remained the commercial hub and continues to be the financial capital of the country."

"It has great potential to further move up the ladder among the top ranking cities of the world.” 

“Current information is vitally important for the business community. Publications like ‘Jumbo Karachi Guide’ could prove as powerful tools in marketing the city among the foreign investors in particular.”

KMC to organize Inter-District Girls Sports Festival in December

Pakistan News & Features Services

Thousands of young female athletes are expected to participate in the Inter-District Girls Sports Festival being organized by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) next month. 

The details about the week-long event, the first of its kind planned exclusively for the girl students of the metropolis, were unveiled by Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, Administrator, KMC, and Brig A S Nasir, Advisor, KMC, in a media briefing at the KMC Sports Complex, Kashmir Road, on November 27. 

The sports festival is a part of the drive undertaken by the KMC Administrator to motivate the educational institutions being run by the metropolitan corporation. 

“Around 800 athletes from the various primary and secondary schools of the city have already got themselves registered for taking part in the festival and this figure is expected to rise considerably by the time the preliminary round events get underway on December 11,” Rauf Farooqui revealed, adding that the main events will be held from December 16 to 19. 

“Besides the students enrolled at the schools being run by the KMC, the festival will be open for the students of all other schools, government and private included,” he explained. 

“Despite the resource constraints, the KMC has taken up this initiative in the larger interest of the city as the basic idea is to engage the girls students in healthy activities, an area which merits greater attention,” Rauf Farooqui stressed, adding that a separate sports festival for boys at the district level will be organized at a later stage. 

The Pakistan Sports Board’s Karachi Centre, famously known as the National Sports Training and Coaching Centre (NSTCC), will be playing host to the majority of the events, including the opening and closing ceremonies. The other venues to be used during the festival will be Women Sports Complex, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, KMC Sports Complex, Kashmir Road, and TMC Ground, Gulberg. 

Brig A S Nasir, who will be the Event Director of the festival, disclosed that the participating students will be provided PT shoes and other sports gear in an effort to facilitate them. 

“It’s indeed a tragedy that the majority of the girls students in our schools don’t have the access to proper sporting facilities. A lot has to be done in this direction. This initiative of ours is intended to be a a stepping stone towards reviving sports culture in the society,” he declared.

Sir Syed Tower to contribute in knowledge acquisition

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys’ Association (AMUOBA) has achieved commendable successes towards attainment of its cherished objectives in persuading the mission undertaken by great reformer and educationist Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. 

“The multi-storey Sir Syed Tower will prove to be the great asset of the AMUOBA towards knowledge creation and acquisition,” Engr Mohammad Adil Usman, the Association’s President remarked while addressing the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at its Head Office on November 9. 

The foundation stone of multi-million Sir Syed Tower project was laid by Engr Adil Usman on October 16, 2014, occasion of the Sir Syed Day. 

 “The project is like a dream which has come true,” Eng Adil Usman, who is also the Chancellor of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), had observed on the occasion. 

“The Sir Syed Tower would prove to be of historical value as an academic and corporate hub promoting intellectual, cultural and creative activities,” he stated, adding that it will mark the continuation of our efforts towards accomplishment of Sir Syed’s Mission. 

Engr Adil Usman said despite the fact that initial funds have been provided to start the Tower’s construction work, still more funds would be needed for its completion for which greater financial support would be required from the philanthropists and protagonists of Sir Syed Mission. 

The AMUOBA President firmly believed that if the first step is taken with sincerity of objective, Almighty Allah certainly helps in achieving the accomplishment. 

“I have the strong feeling that not only Sir Syed Tower but AMUOABA’s all of the plans will be completed without any hurdle and within the stipulated period.” he said. 

While recounting AMUOBA’s plans, Engr Adil Usman referred to Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), pointing out that four new technologies of . Electrical and Software Engineering, Architecture and Bioinformatics were added while construction of the 8-storey Nizami Block is in the final stage of completion. 

This year around 1327 students were conferred degrees at Convocation 2014 while the university spent around Rs 29.124 million on providing scholarships and financial assistance to 1561 needy and deserving students. The university’s library has 75,000 books on science, technology and other subjects and Rs 3 million are spent on procuring latest books while internship arranged for 2130 students. 

Earlier the AMUOBA’s General Secretary, Mukhtar Ahmed Naqvi, presented the Association’s Annual Report highlighting the successes made towards the achievement of its targets while its Treasurer, Salman Sualeh, presented the audited accounts.

Commissioner lauds Jumbo Karachi Guide

Pakistan News & Features Services

The Commissioner Karachi, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, has commended the publication of Jumbo Karachi Guide, expressing the hope that it will become a most sought-after guidebook in the years to come. 

“It’s a worthy effort that was so much needed for a mega city like Karachi. The continued publication of Jumbo Karachi Guide is a reflection of the commitment of its editors and publishers towards playing their part in the promotion of soft image of the city as well as the country,” he remarked during a session with the members of the editorial team of Jumbo Karachi Guide. 

“It’s a momentous job to produce such kind of stuff where a lot of research and creative abilities are desired. Let me commend you for displaying the resilience and bringing out another edition of Jumbo Karachi Guide which looks even better than the previous one,” Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui reckoned.

Popular portal Hamariweb.com profiles Jumbo Karachi Guide

Pakistan News & Features Services

Hamariweb.com, one of the most popular web portals of Pakistan, has recently profiled Jumbo Karachi Guide.

Its weblink is: http://www.hamariweb.com/articles/article.aspx?id=52551 

Following is the text of the article:

Jumbo Karachi Guide: An Introduction

Jumbo Karachi Guide is acclaimed as the first-ever comprehensive guidebook of any city of Pakistan, spread over 148 pages in handy A-5 size. It is priced Rs 600 per copy.

There is a wealth of information between the covers about such significant topics as history, population, architecture, culture, iconic buildings, places of interest, shopping centres, beaches, hotels, fast food, local food, clubs and festivals of Karachi, besides the listing section which has addresses and telephone number of major establishments. 

Jumbo Karachi Guide is the pilot project of Jumbo City Guide Series, aimed at putting Pakistan on tourist map of the world. Compiled by five of the leading working journalists of the country, it’s upgraded every year.

Jumbo Karachi Guide, whose two editions have already been brought out, is considered essential for travellers, business executives and corporate managers besides being a perfect corporate gift as customized editions of the guidebook are also being made available. 

It is also regarded as an invaluable book for students, researchers and teachers All the cities in the world have a guide in order to promote tourism and to give a pack of information to the unknown or interested but unfortunately, there were no such books or guides in Pakistan. 

The book is needed by different industries mostly related to tourism, hotels and corporate. The business travellers particularly needed such a guidebook which provide compact and updated information to let them plan their stay well in advance and make the most of their visit. 

Jumbo Infomedia has ventured to meet the challenge and fill the gap in Pakistan. After the success of Jumbo Karachi Guide, work is being done to bring out similar guidebooks of other major cities of Pakistan as well. Jumbo City Guide Series is meant to making the life faster for the readers to whom getting access to such information was never so easy. 

**To order for your copies of Jumbo Karachi Guide, please email to jkg@jumboinfomedia.com or call during office hours at 021-34890387-34890388. You can also call Mr Asad Raza at 0333-2304024.

Journalist Zafar Iqbal remembered

Pakistan News & Features Services

Seasoned journalist Zafar Iqbal, who covered the beats of sports and health in a professional career spanning three decades, was remembered fondly by his former colleagues and well-wishers during a condolence meeting held at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on October 31. 

Olympians Shahnaz Shaikh and Iftikhar Syed, alongwith Prof Ejaz Ahmed Farooqui, President, Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), recalled their long relationships with the deceased journalist. 

The well-attended condolence meeting was organized by the Sports Journalists Association Sindh (SJAS) with the collaboration of the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the KPC. 

Maqsood Ahmed Yousufi, Syed Sajid Aziz, Nazir Khan, Aamir Latif, Syed Khalid Mahmood, Zubair Nazir, Rashid Ali Siddiqui, Bachal Leghari, Ishaq Baloch and Rafiq Baloch, among the journalists, commended his untiring services to the profession. The meeting was conducted by Ubaid-ur-Rahman Awan, General Secretary, SJAS. 

Zafar Iqbal, who had worked with mass circulation Urdu newspapers in Pakistan before starting his 18-year-old association with the Jeddah-based Urdu News, died after a prolonged illness in his ancestral village near Rawalpindi , on Sunday. He is survived by three two daughters and a son. 

Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh, currently Head Coach of the Pakistan hockey team, shared his particularly close relationship with the sports journalist when he was posted as the Station Manager of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

“It was almost for four years when we used to interact on a daily basis and we spent hours together. He was a highly-gifted journalist who took pride in highlighting brighter aspects rather than dwelling into the dark sides,” Shahnaz Shaikh remarked. 

Olympian Iftikhar Syed, while expressing his grief at the death of the veteran sports journalist offered the support of his academy if any sporting event was planned to be staged in his honour. 

Prof Ejaz Farooqui, President, KCCA, reckoned that Zafar Iqbal has left behind a legacy and the working journalists should follow in his footsteps by adopting positive approach which he displayed professionally and personally. 

“I knew him very closely for the last many decades as our wives were real cousins. He was gem of a person who was always looking to help others with whatever means he had at his disposal. He avoided controversies and believed in let his work do the talking,” the KCCA President observed. 

At the end of the condolence meeting, Prof Ejaz Farooqui spoke to the children of Zafar Iqbal and informed them about the proceedings in which their late father was showered with praise.

Legendary LIS scholar visits University of Faisalabad’s library

Pakistan News & Features Services

A legendary scholar and one of the pioneers of librarianship in Pakistan, Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, recently visited the University of Faisalabad where he was accorded a red carpet welcome by the authorities.  

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, Founder President, Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), and Chief Editor, Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal (PLISJ), was given a tour of the library where he was briefed about the current resources and the future plans. 

Expressing his overall satisfaction with the collection of books and periodicals, he particularly appreciated the Islamic Gallery in the library. He also praised the design and structure of the library which, according to him, were at par with modern standards. He suggested that library should reach out more to faculty members. 

The visiting scholar, on the occasion, presented copies of three of the latest books, published by the LPB, besides a copy of the current issue of the PLISJ. 

It may be recalled that Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari had earned the scholastic degrees of MLIS from the University of Michigan, USA and PhD from the Century University, USA.

He had served as Reference and Readers Advisor at the American Center, Karachi, before joining the University of Karachi as an Assistant Professor where he went on to become the Chairman of the LIS department. 

He also worked at the Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari had founded the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB) in 1966 with the objective of producing professional literature in LIS. 

He was the inspiration behind launching the Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal (PLISJ) a few years later. He has authored a large number of books on professional and general topics over the years.

Moinuddin Khan’s In Search of Readers highlights library issues

Pakistan News & Features Services

‘In Search of Readers’ is a compilation of Moinuddin Khan’s articles, letters, reviews and bibliographical essays on the subject of libraries, books, readership habits and related issues having been published in one of Pakistan’s leading newspapers over a period of three decades.  

The book, spread over 260 pages, has been published by the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), Karachi, which has continued to patronize the scholastic activities since its inception in 1966. It is priced Rupees 250 per copy. 

“I pay my profound reverence to Moinuddin Khan Sahib for presenting such a wonderful panorama that if our administrators, educationalists and planners peep deeply in the pages of this book will definitely be convinced and swayed to accelerate library development in formal and informal education of our country,” Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, Founder President, LPB, remarked in the foreword to the books. 

Moinuddin Khan, a veteran library scientist in his early nineties, has dedicated the book to his brother Prof Ziauddin Khan, one of the pioneers of the study of public administration in India and a visiting fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies, Simla, where he had breathed his last in harness on the Teacher’s Day in 1977. 

“To Azra Qureshi, a concerned colleague and a co-worker of long standing, goes the credit for convincing me that a book culled from daily press would serve a vital purpose in sustaining the interest of the general reader and in reviving man’s abiding faith in book and its resting place, the library,” he acknowledged. 

“I had long recognized the need to collect these scattered writings for the benefit of students, faculty and practitioners of library science in Pakistan, as this is a neglected field in the country. Moinuddin Khan wrote constantly in newspapers to create awareness among the government functionaries and the public at large. He has written more than 100 articles on varied subjects but this is his first volume of selected pieces on librarianship,” Azra Qureshi revealed.

New PLISJ issue arrives with record pages

Pakistan News & Features Services

The June-September 2014 issue (Volume 45, Number 3) of the Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal (PLISJ), a quarterly publication of the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), Karachi, is enriched with the usual high-quality stuff with another substantial increase in its thickness.

The latest issue of the PLISJ, recognized as one of the leading research journals of the country, reached the hands of its subscribers and general readers soon after the arrival of its Chief Editor, Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, during the first week of September. 

The June-September 2014 issue of the PLISJ has many as 132 pages which includes 32 pages of Urdu content improving the record of the previous issue which was spread over 116 pages with 28 pages of having been dedicated to Urdu content. 

The cover of the quarterly journal looked as graceful as ever with the golden background which made the lettering in blue colour of the Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal appear more prominent. 

The current issue of the PLISJ has also published a comprehensive report the World Book Day webinar organized by Jumbo Publishing earlier this year. 

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, an ex-chairman of the University of Karachi’s Library & Information Science department, had founded the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB) in 1966 which has been publishing the PLISJ every quarter since 1968. 

“We have been publishing the PLISJ for the last 45 years on the absolute support of some of our well-wishers. During these years our professionals and library friends developed assurance and confidence in us and have continued sending their research papers for publications. Consequently we are now highly overloaded with variety of articles. There is a long queue of articles and we are totally booked until June 2015,” he wrote in the editorial.

Reformative measures in KMC schools start showing results

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The implementation of reformative measures taken by the City Administrator, Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, to bring improvement in the academic standard of KMC schools, which according to him were in a mess, has started showing results.

The Administrator of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has entrusted the challenging task to his Advisor, Brig A S Nasir, who is known and respected for his disciplinary strictness. 

Brig Nasir, for the first time in the KMC’s history, convened a largely attended meeting of Head Mistresses and Head Masters of KMC Schools in the Z A Nizami seminar hall at Civic Centre on October 27, with the objective to have close interaction with them in order to achieve the cherished goal of bringing KMC schools into disciplinary circle and improve their, otherwise battered, academic environment. 

In his thought provoking and soul stirring address on the occasion, the KMC Administrator, Rauf Farooqui, called upon the teaching community members that they will have to employ their capabilities honestly and transfer the same among the children who are supposed to should the future national responsibilities. 

He was critical of the educational environment in KMC schools and said the conditions prevailing therein had brought bad name for them in the society with bad reflection on KMC itself which is today regarded as merely a sweeping agency. 

He noted that there had been lot of complaints against KMC school teachers who too had lot of grievances for what they called injustices being done to them. 

“Within eleven months we have reached a stage where we can now provide protection to their due rights including their promotions and seniority which previously used to be dealt with an element of adhocism”. 

The Administrator also observed that the gender imbalance between male and female teachers with females being in higher number than the male and said this has to be removed for n even field for both to achieve the desired results of academic excellence. 

Rauf Farooqui informed that the administration is working on the provision of quality training facilities for the KMC teachers along with eliminating the group mafias in the education sector. “We have started seeing improvement with the introduction of initiatives taken so far”, he added. 

He, however, made it clear that unlike the past practice, the teachers will now have to perform their responsibilities and they will not be tolerated to attend or not attend the schools at their whims and just drawing salaries. 

The Administrator emphasized that they are supposed to prepare a generation and for this realize their responsibilities honestly. He pointed out that if certain schools are known for their high standards, it was because of their quality teachers and the same pattern should be followed by KMC school teachers. 

Earlier in his address the Advisor to Administrator, Brig (Rtd) A S Nasir, who previously held many challenging positions in the Sindh Government, made a clarion call for eradication of corruption from KMC's education directorate and the schools under it and said cheating in examinations is one such element of corruption. 

He said that whole nation has great expectations from the teaching community and Karachi, being the biggest metropolis of the country, can play a leading role in this respect. 

He appreciated Administrator Rauf Farooqui for giving top priority to education which, he reckoned, is the basis for a strong nation building.