Pakistan's engineers and technologists can surmount weak economic conditions: Engr Z A Nizami

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

The Chancellor Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Engr Z A Nizami, has expressed the strong conviction that the qualified engineers and technologists can combat the forces responsible for weak economic conditions of the country and financial constraints in the way of progress.

“They do have the capacity to find ways and means to transform poverty into plenty”, he observed in an interview.

The SSUET, he pointed out, has been playing a major role in equipping the youth with technical education during the last two decades and today its graduates were working on highly important positions in the national and multi-national institutions.

“They are serving in army and civil departments successfully and working as researchers, innovators and making new breakthroughs, not only in Pakistan but also in Europe, US and many other foreign countries like Australia and New Zealand,” he added.

The university, he said, is working under a well managed system and in order to achieve its outlying objectives, its strategies are developed in the light of growing demands and technical knowledge.

Referring to the progress achieved during the last couple of decades, Chancellor Nizami informed that starting with a budget of mere Rs 17.22 million in 1994, its annual budget today stood at Rs 712.3 million.

Since its inception, he said, the university has provided latest equipment worth Rs 370 million to its laboratories besides spending Rs 195 million on buildings and structures – and all this without any financial assistance from the government.

Engr Nizami said the performance of the university can be judged from the spate of admissions being sought by students not only from Karachi but any parts of the country. He said this year 3878 applications were received for admission to six engineering disciplines. Of them 374 applicants had secured above 80 percent marks, 1381 above 70 percent marks and rest above 60 percent marks.

He pointed out that starting with a strength of only 200 students in 1994, SSUET today has over 5600 students on its roll and since 1998, this institution produced around 9820 graduate engineers.

At present, he said, 22 Ph.Ds were serving as faculty members in various departments of Computer, Civil, Electronics, Bio-Medical and Telecommunication engineering besides Computer science while 15 faculty members were pursuing Ph.D programs from this university and a same number pursuing higher studies abroad.

Replying a question, the Chancellor said that the university was founded under the very mission and vision of great educationist and reformer Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and as such no student is rejected admission merely because of his/her financial constraint.

He said the university had been liberally assisting deserving and merited students and during 2011-12 alone, it provided Rs 40 million worth of scholarship. In addition the University provided Rs 10 million as financial assistance to deserving students and Rs 2.3 million to deserving employees.

Engr Nizami reiterated that SSUET was the outcome of Aligarh spirit, which had been inculcated in the members of Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOB), the sponsors of the university, during their stay at Aligarh Muslim University.

He said that the AMUOBA had the strong feeling that education and particularly the technical education provides solution for all the problems of Pakistan and they wanted to establish the university in conformity with the philosophy of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and their success crowned in 1994.

The Chancellor pointed out that in order to adorn the students with Aligarh spirit, the Aligarh Movement is being taught as a subject in the SSUET.

SSUET is a research oriented university: Engr Z A Nizami

Z A Nizami

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

“Sir Syed University is a research-oriented institution of higher learning which is making significant contribution in the field of research. The university provides a diverse, vibrant and stimulating environment for research and sees its graduate and postgraduate students as an important component of its success.”

This was stated by Engr Z A Nizami, Chancellor, Sir Syed University of Engineering & Techonology (SSUET), Karachi, while presiding over a ceremony organized by the university in collaboration with Pakistan Intellectual Forum.

The ceremony was held to award gold medals to five persons in recognition of their proven work and services with valuable contribution to the development of research and education besides those who rendered great services in the social sector and public service.

Engr Nizami said that the SSUET’s faculty members were strongly encouraged to attend and participate in national and international conferences and also publish their works in research journals.

He referred to his offer to help in establishing a university at Pak Pattan Sharif and chalk out a complete charter for it. But no further headway occurred in this regard and he is still awaiting the work to start.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Qaiser, Vice Chancellor Karachi University, pointed out that universities don’t survive without research which, however, cannot be done without money. 

He was of the view that least importance is given to research and promotion of education in our present day society and only 4% is allocated in the national budget for education and health.

“In Pakistan, research is like investing money at one end and then retrieve it with profit from the other end,” he observed.

Former Federal Minister, Haji Hanif Tayyab, told the gathering that the holy saints played a significant role in the development of education and knowledge in this subcontinent. 

Dr Qamar, Registrar Federal Urdu University, said Pakistan has a great potential and it is the first country in the Islamic world to become a nuclear power.

On the occasion Chancellor Nizami awarded gold medal to Prof. Dr. Hakim Aaqil in recognition of his great work in IT Sector.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Qaiser, Vice Chancellor Karachi University was presented gold medal for his grand contribution to the knowledge based research, while the youngest scientist Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhry got the coveted award for his valuable services in research development.

Haji Hanif Tayyab, Chief Patron Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust and Khawar Masood Butt, Chairman & Managing Director of English Biscuit Manufactures were also awarded gold medals.

Khawar Butt was presented gold medal in recognition of his visionary and strategic leadership in turning around the business. His gold medal was received on his behalf by his daughter Saadia Naved as he could not attend the ceremony due to his ailment. 

Engr Z A Nizami pays tribute to Lutfullah Khan

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

Various scholars highlighted the invaluable services of the great archivist and oral historian Lutfullah Khan at a Literary Reference organized by Pakistan Academy of Letter at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi.

The Reference, held to pay homage to great archivist and oral historian, Lutfullah Khan, was chaired by Engr Z A Nizami, Chancellor, SSUET.

Speaking on the occasion, Engr Nizami declared that Lutfullah Khan was a committed and devoted person who spent most of his life in the collection of voices of people from different walks of life. 

He had a wide variety of voices like the speeches of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Gandhi, Maulana Azad to the poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Noon Meem Rashid, Jigar Moradabad and further to the sermons of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi.

He said that Lutfullah had some unique and extinct record of voices which no national institution could claim to have. 

Engr Nizami offered full support on behalf of the SSUET in preserving the valuable and important record of voices with latest technology. “Preserved record of voices by Lutfullah Khan is in fact our preserved history,” he added.

In his speech Dr Muhammad Ali Siddiqui, an eminent critic said “we are a nation that tends to either distort history or give it a shape as we want to see it but the late Khan recorded the voices in its original form with complete honesty and sincerity.”

Khan was more senior broadcaster than Z.A. Bukhari and Pitras Bukhari, yet he was never been remembered as such. He claimed if any one is to listen to the material that Khan had recorded, one would require at least three and half years for that. He was able to save contemporary history to a great deal, he added.

Poet Fatima Hassan informed the audience that Lutfullah Khan had recorded more than 5000 voices in a very organized form with well maintained catalogues. He was a multifaceted man who entered the world of archives through his passion for classical music. However, it was being an archivist that overshadowed the rest of his talents.

Poet Sarshar Siddiqui, Chairman of the Academy Abdul Hameed and Resident Director of the Academy Agha Noor Muhammad Pathan also spoke on the occasion.

PML-N not to enter into alliance with PPP, PMLQ: Nawaz Sharif

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

The Pakistan Muslim League, headed by former Prime Minister Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, (PML-N) has decided not to enter into an alliance with PPP and PML-Q, nor will it make any seat adjustment with these two parties in the coming elections.

This was stated by the PML-N chief, Nawaz Sharif, in a recent interview in Lahore with Zahid Hameedi of MHz TV Network US. He, however, clarified that his party will consider seat adjustment with JUI-F and Jamaat-i-Islami in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa.

Answering a question Nawaz Sharif said that the PPP government has not taken any step to solve the problem of the common man. Instead, it has indulged in large scale corruption and destroyed the national economy.

He said that after coming to power the PML-N government will give special attention to solve the energy crisis which has brought life to a stand still in the country. 

For this purpose PML-N government will build small dams and set up gas fired power plants to provide electricity at reasonable rates to the people, Nawaz Sharif added.

He said that the PML-N has formulated plans to promote Information Technology and Technical and Vocational education at all levels which will help fight unemployment in the country. 

“By promoting education we will be able to export trained manpower to the Middle East and other countries,” he said.

To another question the PML-N chief said that his party will also introduce reforms in the transport sector like mass transit system in order to provide cheap transportation to the public. 

He said that the PPP government is openly defying the Supreme Court orders which show how serious it is about establishing the rule of law and constitution and democratic norms in the country.

“People are hankering for change and Inshallah the PML-N government will strive sincerely to improve the lot of the common people as in the past,” the former Prime Minister concluded.

Going Green for Pakistan

By Sabina Rizwan Khan

Let's make Pakistan Green, One Plant at a time! This spirit showed will be shown again by a bunch of enthusiastic green lovers of environment. From doing flash mobs to planting saplings, from conducting informative seminars on environmental issues to beach cleaning, from creating awareness at schools to running own small campaigns, Earth Week will be 7 days of fun, sheer activism and creating attentiveness toward Pakistan's important climate issues.

Earth Day is celebrated on 22^nd April which was founded by Gaylord Nelson, an American Senator to create awareness for Earth and our environment. But later on, many people extended the effort of inspiration to a week, thus called Earth Week now. Earth Week is celebrated from 17^th April to 23^rd April, in more than 175 countries all over the world. Numerous people, communities and organizations focus this whole week on activities regarding environmental issues.

With numerous environmental changes like creation of artificial lake, reduction in growth of certain crops, floods and changing climatic patterns over the years showed how vulnerable Pakistan is towards climate change. The recent devastation caused by floods demonstrated well that how global warming can be lethal. With very little awareness regarding climate change also and its consequences, it was difficult to address the concrete issues and work towards solutions some years ago.

However, the scenario is progressing as now people especially youngsters are showing interest in environmental issues, with responsibility. With much knowledge on media and people accepting environment problem as matter of great concern has made the difference to a larger extent. This year, Karachi along with other cities, witnessed many celebrations on account of Earth Week, in various schools, colleges and universities. Even some offices made sure to cut down their energy consumption. A lot of seminars were conducted to disseminate information and facts regarding how these problems can be minimized. Many forums were held to initiate a dialogue on energy conservation especially in a country that is already suffering from its shortage. From plantations to cleaning to just writing blogs a lot of action was observed this time.

Though many see all such efforts as time wastage, we see this as an encouraging sign towards betterment. Remaining in our given capacities if we are able to create awareness and making people informed, I think a lot of transformation starts from here. Jerry Yudelson, a green building and green marketing specialist from US, on account of Earth Hour shared "Everything that raises awareness of energy use and creates a feeling that global warming is an issue for the entire world to address together, is useful in my opinion."

This surely puts end to all cynical critics who says that we have far better issues to address than environment. We must understand that global warming and its effects are indirectly affecting our living conditions, our patterns of weather, giving rise to natural calamities. This as a result has negative impacts on our agro-based economy as well as our infrastructure, budgets and security.

We as individuals who have access to all sorts of resources can make a greater difference only if we know what and how to do. Like I said earlier, awareness is the first step towards the solution, it is essential to know what is global warming. How climate change is affecting the world collectively and its further costs in future are needed to be understood, so that we can work better to find practical solutions.

Here are some interesting tips to play your part in saving your Earth:

1. When television is not being watched, turn the television off and don't leave it on standby.
2. Especially for students and office people, try to re use your Xerox papers' back for writing down notes.
3. Instead of using new wrapping paper, use newspaper and magazine pages to wrap gifts. They give an interesting look and you can do collage work out of it as well giving it a personalized touch.
4. Cook while keeping all pots and pans covered, this will help in cutting the energy expenditure by almost 90 percent.
5. Reuse plastic bags as much as possible. Try to use cloth bags for shopping as plastic bag manufacturing gives off enormous amount of carbon.
6. If you are not sitting in any room, turn off the lights, fan and air conditioner.
7. Turn the switch off, if your cell charger is plugged in, even when your cell is not connected.
8. Travel to nearby places, visiting close living friends by walking or riding a bicycle. A little bit of this can help cut down the carbon emission in greater amounts.
9. Instead of travelling to your institutions or offices in your individual cars, start car pooling which is again less on carbon and also price effective in times of petrol price hikes.
10. Always make sure to run the washing machine with full load of laundry to save electricity.
11. Keep your food covered in the refrigerator. This helps stopping moisture escape and as a result it prevents excessive power burden on compressor. 
12. Keep it all Green. Plant trees as much as possible, water them regularly. Drive plantation campaigns in your campuses and localities not only in Earth Week but throughout the year. This birthday, plant number of trees as your age!

SSUET Convocation 2012 held at Karachi Expo Centre

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

“Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology has been playing a major role during the last two decades in equipping the youth with technical education . The SSUET graduates are serving in various countries of the world with placement on highly important positions and making new breakthroughs not only in Pakistan, but also in Europe, America and other countries”, Engr Z.A. Nizami, Chancellor SSUET, observed while addressing the 15th Convocation of the university held at Karachi Expo Centre on March 31.

The coveted Dr A Q Khan Gold Medal was won by Sania Rehan of Computer Enginering, Engr Z A Nizami Gold Medal by Muhammed Tarique Saleem of Electronic Engineering, Bashir A Malik Gold Medal by Obaid Saheel of Telecom Engineering, Zakir Ali Khan Gold Medal by Farrukh of Bio-Medical Engineering Dr A.T. Khan Gold Medal by Husam Bin Arshad of Civil Engineering and Hasan Nasir Gold Medal was bagged by Minhaj Anwar of Computer Science department.

At the convocation over 1,000 graduates of batch 2008 were awarded degrees in the engineering disciplines of Electronics, Computer, Civil, Bio-Medical and Telecommunication besides Computer Science..

The Chancellor said that it’s our strong conviction that good Engineers and Technologists can combat the forces that are responsible for weak economic conditions of the country and financial constraints in the domain of progress. They can find ways and means to transform poverty into plenty, he observed 

He asdvised the new gaduates to come forward to accept the challenges, which the country is confronting like dwindling down energy and water resources, dependence on foreign reliance and primitive systems and machinery in industry, which are the menace plaguing the country. 

He emphasized on need for effectively exploiting the country’s latent natural resources like huge deposits of coal at Thar as well as copper and other valuable minerals in other parts of the country so as extract the country from economic turbulence and attain self autarky in every strata of national life.

Presenting the annual report, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Sayed Nazir Ahmed highlighted the successful journey of Sir Syed University from its inception in 1994 to its present glorious stage and informed the audience that SSUET’s annual budget has soared from Rs. 17.22 million in 1994 to a record Rs. 712.3 million in 2012.

He said the university provided Rs. 370 million worth equipment for Labs in all the Departments and spent Rs 195 million on new buildings and structures. 

He stated that besides a financial assistance of Rs 10 million and Rs 40 million worth scholarships to deserving and talented students during 2011-2012, the university also provided Rs. 7.7 million to needy students and Rs 2.3 million to deserving employees.

He pointed out that the university, which started with merely 200 students in 1994, today has over 5600 students on roll and gave around 9820 graduate engineers to the nation since 1998, when its first convocation was held. 

At present the university is dispensing 6 Bachelors Degree, 6 Master's and 02 PhD programs while its faculty has 22 PhDs teaching in various departments while as many as 15 faculty members are pursuing PhD degree from this university and as many number had gone abroad for higher studies, the Vice-Chancellor stated.. 

Dr Nazir informed that the University supports its Alumni, in their Career Planning and Placement and out of about 8660 graduates till 2011, 77% had been employed in gainful jobs while remaining proceeded for higher studies or started their own business.

On the occasion Chancellor Z.A. Nizami conferred medals to Saniah Rehan for securing first position in Computer Engineering, Muhammad Tarique Saleemin Electronic Engineering, Obaid Shakeel in Telecommunication Engineering, Farrukh in Biomedical Engineering, Husam Bin Arshad in Civil Engineering and Minhaj Anwaar inComputer Science.

Recipients of Silver Medal for securing second position included Sana Waseem (Computer Engineering), Noman Akhtar (Electronic Engineering), Bilal Saeed (Telecommunication Engineering), Amna Ghani (Biomedical Engineering), Zia Ali (Civil Engineering) and Muhammad Arabi Tayyab (Computer Science).

The third position holders winning bronze medal included Anam Ashraf (Computer Engineering), Muhammad Muzaffaruddin (Electronic Engineering), Muhammad Kashan Shahbaz (Telecommunication Engineering), Samia Kaleem (Biomedical Engineering), Muhammad Rafique (Civil Engineering) and Rabia Rasheed (Computer Science).

The proceedings started with recitation of Holy Quran and Naat by the university students.

As the ceremony reached near completion, the graduating youth celebrated their award of degrees with tossing their robe caps into the air while excited youth posed for photographs with their parents.

SSUET organizes enchanting Cultural Fair to celebrate International Women Day

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

Beautiful dresses, music, folk songs, skits fascinatingly depicted the cultures of various provinces of Pakistan at a Lok Virsa (Cultural Fair) coinciding International Women’s Day held at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, on March 8.

The Fair was organized by Girl Students Committee of the University and participated by the girl students and their families in a very large number.

The programmes presented on the occasion highlighted the cultural values of Pakistan and contribution of Pakistani woman folk towards the promotion of the same.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Chancellor SSUET, Engr Z.A. Nizami, highly appreciated the performance of the girls in programs presented by them and declared that such activities will continue at regular intervals.

He said that holding of Lok Virsa on the occasion of Woman’s Day was of great significance and the university’s girl students have made a great stride towards the promotion of cultural face of Pakistan in its all richness and values.

Engr Nizami said that like Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association we wanted to make Algarh Old Girls Association but the women said they do not want to have an Old Girls Association and preferred to be the members of Old Boys Association,

He laid greater emphasis on social activities at the university and said this Lok Virsa program has provided a great impetus to the idea.

Addressing the function MNA Khush Bakht Shujaat praised the presentation made by the girls at the Cultural Fair and said that those nations remember their cultures and cultural values, they re-emerge even after their downall, but those who forget their cultures and values they cannot come out once they fall into quagmire.

She cited the example of French Revolution and said that even after their bloody revolution when even castles and palaces of rich French were burnt, they did not destroy their libraries and treasures of arts and crafts and, therefore, they were able to re-emerge after the revolution.

She called upon the girl students to give their time to the promotion of art and culture and said that they will have to unfold their hidden talents and bring the same out for the purpose.

She advised them not to restrict the knowledge they get to themselves and pass on fruits of the same to others. She said that it is only the educated daughters and mothers who give birth to strong nations.

MNA Khush Bakht said that grooming of girls is most essential along with their academic activities. She said they should focus on building inner personality as it is imperative for achieving success in life.

Speaking on the occasion Zubaida Tariq, famously known as Zubaida Aapa, recalled that during their student days, girls used to be provided training along with education, but this aspect is now non-existent.

She said that if girls are imparted proper training during their academic period, the society will become and look beautiful and it would make the nation lead towards development.

She told them that they should take teachers as their role model and make themselves so strong that no one could be able to distract them from their goals.

On the occasion the girls presented lok songs, wedding ceremonies which included mehndi, mayoon, nikah and rukhsati and depicted cultures of various provinces through dresses. The girls had also setup various stalls including food stalls and stalls depicting various cultures.

The Chancellor, Engr Z.A. Nizami, along with Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Sayed Nazir Hussain and members of AMUOBA went round these stalls and appreciated their presentation.
  

Khawaja Naveed Advocates for strong and free institutions to root out corruption

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

Noted lawyer and a former Judge of Sindh High Court Khawaja Naveed Ahmed has called for establishment of strong and free institutions to stop corruption from the society.
“All we need is having strong and free institutions and create an environment which does not allow any one to enter into corrupt practices as is in vogue in the western society”, he asserted while delivering his keynote address at the Harvard Law School Symposium in Boston, USA.

He was invited by the most reputed school to inaugurate the symposium on the topics of transitional corruption, state-sponsored espionage, extra-judicial and target killings.

He said corruption is a world-wide phenomenon and many countries like Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Syria etc faced or are facing historical downfalls mainly on account of corruption.

He said that years long dictatorial rules in many countries allowed corruption to make deeper and deeper inroads and it was unfortunate that corruption permeated deeply into our society as well.

He recalled that after 1988, in less than 10 years, Pakistan had four elections. It was like musical chair and two main political rivals came in to power one after the other but successive governments were dismissed constitutionally, primarily on the charges of corruption.

Khawaja Naveed said there is a perception that politicians invest heavily in the election process to get elected to the assemblies and to enter into corridors of power. The major reason behind this widespread corruption in my country and in some other countries by the politicians and bureaucracy is that it is difficult to control white collar crimes, therefore, the culprits invariably get away with their corruption and safely come out of scandals without any punishment.

Hardly there was any political eminence to get punishment for his frauds or scandals during the last 64 years, he stated adding that he had no hesitation in saying that if there is a will, it is not difficult to unearth the cases of corruption and the assets held by members of the ruling elite.

He said it was successfully done by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau during the last decade but unfortunately all corruption cases detected were closed under a law called National Reconciliation Ordinance and which has since been annulled by the Supreme Court.

Naveed said there is no denying that corruption, lawlessness and other social evils exist all over the world. Even our neighboring country India is not free from corruption though they have very strong democratic system in their country and had no Marshal Law or military intervention during the last 64 years of its existence.

Referring to Transnational corruption, he described it a very wide topic and said Transparency International in its 2009 annual report described corruption as a spiritual or moral impurity or deviation from an idea. In economy, corruption is payment for services or material which is not a right of the recipient under law. This may be called bribery, kick back, or `Baksheesh’ in the Middle East.

He said Transparency International described political corruption as an abuse by public power, office, or resources by elected government officials for personal gain, e.g. by extortion, soliciting or offering brides
 
This report, he pointed out, deal in detail with police corruption, systemic corruption or endemic corruption. These corruptions are due to weaknesses of an organization or process. Discretionary powers, monopolistic powers, lack of transparency, low pay, and a culture of impunity are main causes of specific acts of corruption which include bribery, extortion and embezzlement in a system where corruption becomes the rule rather than exception.
On international level, he continued, there are instances of corruption by multinational companies who develop contact with the politicians and bureaucracy of developing countries and procure big orders from their aid money or from their funds by giving kickbacks to the functionaries. This is though not permitted under international law but is still in practice and again is very difficult to detect unless regime is changed in recipient countries.
 
Regarding extra judicial killings by the law enforcing agencies including police, he said it has become a big problem the world over. One of the reasons for the extrajudicial killings is the incompetence or inability of prosecution agencies in prosecuting the most wanted criminals and getting them punished from the courts of law. The criminals are so powerful that it is difficult for the law enforcing agencies to arrest them and once they are arrested it is very difficult to procure evidence against them to get them convicted from the courts of law.

According to him the witnesses dare not to give evidence against hardened criminals for fear of their own life or family elimination. The desperate and hardened criminals kill the prosecution witnesses either before their appearance before the court or after they leave the court room. This serves as sufficient warning to other witnesses either not to appear in court or give statements hostile to prosecution.
 
He referred to a report by the Human Rights Council on extra-judicial, summary of arbitrary executions prepared by Philip Alston on 28th May 2010 and said  he has referred to the video footage which was telecast on 10th February 2010 showing police and army officers in Nigeria forcing a number of un-armed men to lie down on the ground before shooting them in the back. One of the officers could be heard asking his colleague to shoot a man in the chest rather than head, so that he can take the victims hat.
 
In the same report Mr. Alston also referred to an incident of raid by Brazilian police on 27th June 2007 wherein 19 people were killed with gun shots in the back and point blank shots. In another report dated 1st June 2010 he had visited the Democratic Republic of Congo from 5th to 15th October 2009 to investigate allegations of unlawful killings.

His investigations focused on political killings in Kinshasa and Bas Congo. This report is spread over 113 pages and covers extra judicial killings by armed forces, death imprisons, killing of human rights defenders and journalists, vigilantism and mob justice.

Similarly another report was prepared by a Panel of eminent Jurists on terrorism, counter terrorism and human rights questions in respect of enforced disappearances and extra judicial killings or executions from 2001 to 2006 in Indonesia, Jakarta. The report covers Bali bombing on October 12, 2002 that killed 202 people and injured more than 209 people.

In Afghanistan and in Pakistan, thousands of people have been killed during the last decade by suicide bombing by the terrorists and counter terrorism by the military and police.

Khawaja said very frequently complaints come regarding missing of persons and some times they are found in Gawantanamo camp. He said these are hard facts of life and he believe that panelists of this symposium  will hold comprehensive discussions on this topic and come out with some positive solutions and suggestions for the world to follow.

Speaking about state sponsored economic Espionage, he said over the past couple of decades there have been a grown number of scholarly reports regarding economic espionage and it has become an international challenge.

He said the theft of a country’s intellectual assets and proprietary information is a cause of concern and a threat to national security of the countries. Appreciating the seriousness of this threat US Congress passed the economic espionage Act 1996.

The Economic Espionage Act (EEA) took a traditional approach to the activity at issue by treating the misappropriation of propriety economic information as theft and criminalizing it. Congress believed that by prosecuting and sanctioning those who unlawfully appropriate proprietary information, others can be deterred from engaging in such conduct. Prosecution and punishment can contribute to preventing economic espionage.

The challenge of protecting intellectual and proprietary assets has been made more difficult by the arrival of the information age and the internet. Information has become a marketable commodity with an inherent value and intrinsic self-worth.

The fact that technological progress has evolved to the point where information is stored on networks, many of which are linked together by the interest, has changed the framework relating to information protection and the legal boundaries that traditionally served to constrain the dissemination of sensitive data to non authorized users.

On the occasion Khawaja Naveed narrated some of his experiences as Judge of the High Court of Sindh and threw light on the judicial system in Pakistan.

He said from his experiences he learnt that if people are trusted and dispensed justice they will love you, will never forget you and will not allow you to be let down. 

“This is my message for today. Get justice for everyone, trust people, and love them. In return, they will give you love beyond your expectation”.

Rotary’s ‘End Polio Now’ campaign illuminates Frere Hall

By Rtn Mohammad Nazakat Ali

The historic building of Frere Hall in Karachi was illuminated with great fanfare on February 17 as a part of the awareness drive launched by Rotary International’s Pakistan National Polio Plus Committee.

The Committee’s National Chair, Aziz Memon, informed the dignitaries and the media corps present on the occasion that the illumination ceremony was a part of an annual tradition in which community-based Rotary clubs illuminate landmarks and iconic structures around the world with the humanitarian group’s pledge to eradicate polio, a crippling childhood disease.

Besides the historic Frere Hall in Karachi, another famous building in Pakistan, the distinctly modern WAPDA House at Lahore will glow brightly with Rotary’s illuminated message ’End Polio Now’ on February 23.

The lighting ceremony in neighboring India is perhaps the most symbolic of the progress made by Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. In January, India, until recently an epicenter of the crippling disease, reached a historic milestone by marking a full year without recording a single new polio case.

Other illumination sites this year include the City Government Building in Taipei, Taiwan (Feb. 23-25); Melbourne’s Federation Square, one of southern Australia’s top tourist draws (Feb. 25-27); Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, Tokyo’s fifth tallest building (Feb. 20); and Palácio Garibaldi, a neo-classical architectural treasure in Curitiba, Brazil (Feb. 23).

Significantly, India’s success sends a message of hope across the border to Pakistan, one of the last remaining polio-endemic countries (the others are Nigeria and Afghanistan).

In 2011 Pakistan reported 198 polio cases; Afghanistan 80; Nigeria 57 and India 1. Worldwide, fewer than 650 polio cases have been confirmed for 2011, less than half the 1,352 infections reported in 2010.
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Overall, the annual number of polio cases has plummeted by more than 99 percent since the initiative was launched in 1988, when polio infected about 350,000 children a year. More than two billion children have been immunized in 122 countries, preventing five million cases of paralysis and 250,000 deaths.

“These global illuminations carry Rotary’s pledge to end polio—saying to the world that we will fight this crippling disease to the end,” says Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee, a native of India. “But we are not there yet. Rotary and our partners will continue to immunize children until our goal of a polio-free world is achieved. And we must remain vigilant against a resurgence of this terrible disease.”

Rotary club members worldwide have contributed more than US$1 billion to polio eradication, including nearly $190,000 raised by the 3,120 members of Pakistan’s 150 Rotary clubs. Rotary International has provided almost $73 million in grants for polio eradication activities in Pakistan.

Todate, the government of Pakistan has provided nearly $50 million in domestic resources. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have made polio eradication a national priority by launching the National Emergency Action Plan in 2011 and an Augmented Action Plan for 2012, aimed at increasing the capacity and effectiveness of the polio immunization programme with Begum Shahnaz Wazir Ali having been appointed as the Focal Person of the Prime Minister’s Task Force Committee.

In January, Rotary leaders announced Rotary clubs worldwide had raised more than $200 million in response to a $355 million challenge grant from the Gates Foundation, which in turn contributed an additional $50 million in recognition of Rotary’s commitment. All of the resulting $605 million will be spent in support of immunization activities in Pakistan and other polio-affected countries.

“Rotary continues to be the heart-and-soul of polio eradication,” Gates Foundation Co-Chair Bill Gates wrote in his annual letter issued in January.

The other spearheading partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rotary is a global humanitarian organization with more than 1.2 million members in 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary members are men and women who are business, professional and community leaders with a shared commitment to make the world a better place through humanitarian service. Rotary’s top priority is the global eradication of polio.

Eid Mild-un-Nabi (SAWW) held at Sir Syed University

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
 
The Holy Quran is, in every detail, a unique and miraculous text which was revealed by Allah upon Holy Prophet Muhammad and over the centuries not a single word of the divine book has changed.
 
“Holy Quran, being the last revealed words of Allah, is the prime source of every Muslim's faith and practice,” Chancellor, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Engr Z.A. Nizami stressed.
 
Addressing a Jalsa-e-Seerat-un-Nabi (SAWW) held by the SSUET at its campus, Engr Nizami said Islam means complete submission to the will of Allah. He said Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life.
 
Chancellor Nizami pointed out that Sir Syed University is the only engineering university where Pakistan Studies and Islamiat are taught as compulsory subjects and efforts are being made to computerize all information and material pertaining to the religion of Islam.
 
He referred to a book written by Michael H. Hart and said although he was a Christian but he put the name of Muhammad (SAWW) at the  top of the list of great leaders of the universe in his book entitled “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History’. “We are considering the inclusion this book in the syllabus,” Engr Nizami added.
 
Speaking on the occasion, Allama Kokab Noorani said Holy Prophet Muhammed (SAWW)) is the soul of universe and when he went to the Mairaj the whole universe became standstill until he came back to earth.
 
He said the Holy Prophet Muhammad is Rehmatul-lil-Alameen and 4 qualities are necessary for ‘rahim’ like he must be alive, he must be aware of his dependents, he must be close to them, and he must have the power of rehmat.
 
Another religious scholar Allama Syed Razi Jaffar Naqvi said Muslim Umma should lead the world on the basis of knowledge and wisdom since they have the divine book “Quran” with them for true guidance. But unfortunately other nations took the advantage of knowledge of Quran and developed according to its teachings.
 
On the occasion, in their speeches, university students Umar Khan Ufaq, Afroz Khan and Fatima Saima Ahmed highlighted Seerat-e-Tayyaba while Mahmood-ul-Hassan Ashrafi, Abdul Haseeb Khan and Waqas Tariq Sherwani recited naats.
 
Famous poet Khumar Farooqui expressed the Muslim’s ardent feelings about Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW) through his poetic contribution. The milad concluded with prayer offered by Mufti Athar Naeemi.