By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
Speakers belonging to various walks of life paid rich
tributes to the late SSUET Chancellor, Engr Z.A. Nizami, for his services and
highlighted various facets of his life as a world class town planner,
educationist and as a friend of the less privileged.
The condolence meeting, organized by the Sir Syed University
of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, with the collaboration of the
Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA) of which he was the
President, was held at the Convocation Ground of the Aligarh Institute of
Technology (AIT).
The speakers on the occasion included former Sindh Governor
Lt Gen (Rtd) Moinuddin Haider, Vice-Chancellor Ziauddin University Pirzada
Qasim Raza Siddiqi, Prof Dr Waqar Ahmed Rizvi, Dr Taufiq Ahmed Nizami, younger
brother of Engr Z A Nizami, having arrived from Aligarh, Chancellor SSUET Engr
Adil Usman, Senior Aligarhian Ali Zafar Afridi, Vice-Chancellor SSUET
Prof Dr Jawaid H. Rizvi, Registrar Shah Mahmood Hussain Syed, Honorary
Consultant Art, Literary and Culture Forum besides Farrukh Nizami, son of late
Z A Nizami.
Gen Moinuddin Haider remarked that the name of Engr Nizami
will always be remembered because of the services he had rendered for the
development of Karachi and specially the establishment of an engineering
university of international standard.
He pointed out that after the creation of Pakistan, the
Aligarhians with their talent and vision steered Pakistan to the path of progress
and name of Engr Nizami will remain on the top.
The former Sindh Governor recalled Engr Nizami’s meetings
with him for the acquisition of 200 acres of land where he wanted to establish
bigger SSUET’s campus.
He called for continued growth of the tree planted by Engr
Nizami for propagation of engineering education so that the university could
continue to meet the ever changing world standards in various fields of
engineering.
Prof Dr Waqar recalled that late Engr Nizami always used to
invite him speak on Sir Syed Day and Iqbal Day which used to be observed every
year without a break by the AMUOBA.
He said he didn’t find any match of Engr Nizami in
administrative affairs which he demonstrated when he developed this city
as DG KDA and proved himself as the world’s best Town Planner. He said his life
was full with continuous struggle.
Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqi, recalled Engr Nizami’s
association with his father and later with him and said he is the one for whom
condolence meetings are being organized by scores of organizations across
Pakistan highlighting his vision, greatness and various facets of his
fascinating life.
He said that Engr Nizami always kept even those, who were
not Aligarhians but possessed natural Aligarhian spirit, along with him for the
accomplishment of his vision. He was the one who always thought about carrying
the youth forward and establishment of SSUET was a step towards the said
direction.
Pirzada Qasim reckoned that Engr Nizami was rich with
Aligarh spirit and establishment of this university in the private sector was
his major achievement of life – an achievement which will never allow us to
forget him ever. He said he was a man of positive attitude so much so he always
helped in the establishment of institutions like Delhi College and School and
Hamdard University.
In his speech the SSUET Chancellor and the AMUOBA
President, Engr Adil Usman, recalled his old association with Engr Nizami
and said throughout his life he worked with all dedication. He said he along
with late Zakir Ali Khan steered AMUOBA to dynamic functioning and it was he
who managed the allotment of plot on which AIT and SSUET are functioning today.
He said that despite his falling health, would never miss to
come to the university. He never accepted defeat from life and kept working
till his death. Although today he is not among us but has become part of
history.
He vowed that now the responsibility has been entrusted to
him and he will make unabated efforts to accomplish the mission undertaken by late
Engr Nizami and expand this university to provide best education to students.
Senior Aligarhian Ali Zafar Afridi described Engr Nizami, an
epoch-making personality and said that although today he is not among us but
his name will remain immortal on the pages of history.
He said that Engr Nizami was a man with dimensional
personality having far sighted vision and speedy decision making
capability.
He pointed out that the university established by him had so
far produced over 10,000 engineers in various engineering disciplines and they
are proving their feat in various countries of the world.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Jawaid Rizvi said that Engr Nizami
was the founding spirit behind the establishment of AIT and SSUET and this
university which started with an enrolment of 200 students today has over 6000
students.
He said that Engr Nizami’s services for the cause of
education will always be remembers and his popularity can be judged from the
fact that he remained President of AMUOBA for seven terms and Chancellor of the
University since 1994 till his death. He said the discipline which is witnessed
in this university is because of him.
Registrar Shah Mahmood said that the dynamism of Engr
Nizami and his love for SSUET was reflective from his presence at the 16thConvocation
of the University which he attended despite serious illness and physical
weakness.
He said that it was unbelievable of him that he attended the
SSUET 14th Convocation
a couple of years back despite having received the news about the death of his
spouse in Washington just a night before and he did not allow the grief to show
up on his face until the convocation ended and he left for his home.
Dr Tafuiq Ahmed Nizami said that he and members of Nizami
family are not prepared to believe that he has left the world, but we have to
bow our heads before the will of Allah.
He said the way the people from various walks of life have
spoken so high about him is a matter of solace for us.
He said that Engr Z A Nizami was an ardent follower of Sir
Syed Ahmed Khan and at the age of seven and he used to pursue his grand father
Khaleeq Nizami to read to him the letters he used to write to Sir Syed
Khumar Farooqi said that throughout his life Engr
Nizami took care of the less privileged mortals and if on one hand he allotted
plots to builders for city’s development, he established big housing
colonies where poor were allotted houses at negligible prices.
He described the establishment of SSUET a “Sadaqa-e-Jaria”
and “ahsaan” over nation and country.
Farrukh Nizami said they always saw their “papa” at work and
which ever organization he worked in, he led it to success. He said he always
provided jobs to needy and never made any one jobless in his career and that
was why he was paid tributes to employees of KDA even after 25 years from
retirement.
Earlier Muhammed Umer Khan, a university student paid
glowing tributes to their late Chancellor and described him as Sir Syed Saani”.
He said he was a great benefactor of students of this university.
Another student recited the naat “Mustafa Jaane-Rehmat
pe lakho salam”, a naat which will make Engr Nizami to drown into deep thought.
The meeting concluded with Dua-e-Maghfirat for the departed soul.
