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.