By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features
Services)
Glowing tributes were paid to Engr Z A Nizami, who was
referred to as Baba-e-Karachi and Sir Syed Saani, at a big gathering organized
by the Nizami family at KDA Officer’s Club, Karachi, to observe his first death
anniversary.
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Administrator KMC
Rauf Akhtar Farooqi |
The speakers, on the occasion, who included Administrator,
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Rauf Akhtar Farooqi, former Sindh Governor,
Lt Gen (Rtd) Moinuddin Haider, former Ministers Haji Hanif Tayyab, Dost
Mohammed Faizi and Wasim Akhtar, Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC)
Abdul Qadir Shah, AMUOBA members Ali Zafar Afridi and Arif Raza, former
Director KDA, Rizwan Siddiqi, fiery Muslim Leaguer Azad Bin Hyder and finally
Farrukh NIzami, recalled the services and the accomplishments of the late Engr
Nizami in the field of education and development of Karachi.
An emotional Dost Mohammed Faizi recalled that Engr Nizami had
paid the debt he owed to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan by establishing the Sir Syed
University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) in Karachi and now we owe a
debt to pay by establishing the Z A Nizami University in his memory.
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| Dost Mohammad Faizi |
His call in this regard was wholeheartedly supported by Haji
Hanif Tayyab who offered his services and available resources in this regard
saying that Engr Nizami had been the Hatim Tai of his era as well as
Baba-e-Taaleem and Sir Syed Saani.
In his discourse the KMC Administrator, Rauf Akhtar Farooqi,
described Engr Nizami a complete personality and an institution in his right
and said what he did for this ever sprawling city in his life time will remain
unmatched so much so he launched 45 development schemes and no one could bring
till to date the 46th scheme.
He pointed out that those 45 schemes were not mere
development schemes but establishment of 45 small towns with provision of all
basic infrastructure facilities, a challenging task which no one else could do.
He said that the younger generation of engineers must know about his
achievements so that they could follow his footsteps.
Rauf Farooqi said that Engr Nizami's vision can be judged
from the fact that as Director General for eight years he steered Karachi to
its highest peak besides introducing new departments like Building Control
Authority, Traffic Engineering Bureau, Mass Transit, water wing which later
turned into Water Board besides streamlining the Master Plan department on most
modern lines and introduced Karachi's first Master Plan.
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| Moinuddin Haider |
Former Governor of Sindh and a member of SSUET’s Board of
Governors, Gen Moinuddin Haider, considered Engr Nizami a torch-bearer of the
eastern traditions who set very high standards for himself and his team.
He referred to establishment of the SSUET and observed that
since its inception over 15,000 engineers have passed out from here and serving
in various parts of the world. He said that the town planning of Karachi was an unmatched
example of his God-gifted vision. He said he was a true educationist and his
memories will always remain alive.
A former Provincial Minister, Karachi
will be referred to and as an educationist when SSUET comes to limelight.
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| Waseem Akhtar |
Waseem Akhtar, described Engr
Nizami as a towering personality and a multi-faceted figure who, he said, will
be remembered whenever the development of
He said that Engr Nizami was the one who contributed the
most to the cause of promotion of education and the university established by
him was fulfilling his mission of producing high-quality engineers.
Chairman PEC, Syed Abdul Qadir Shah, recalled his
association with Engr Nizami, stating that he found him having the cause of
SSUET students very dear to his heart as if they were his own children.
“He was a true legend and Karachi of today is because of his
development vision. He was an all-round engineer, who stood taller than anyone
else in the country,” Qadir Shah complimented.
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| Haji Hanif Tayyab |
Noted Aligarhian, Ali Zafar Qadri, talked about his and
other members of the AMUOBA association with Engr Nizami and said that besides
being a high quality planner, developer and educationist, he was above all a
high quality human being having a good sense of humour.
Arif Raza, another Aligarhian recalled that Engr Nizami’s
services for the AMUOBA and said it was a triangle of Engr Z A Nizami, Engr
Zakir Ali Khan and Brig Qamarussalam, whose dynamism led to establishment of the
SSUET.
Dost Mohammed Faizi appreciated the family members of Engr
Nizami for maintaining the noble traditions of their illustrious father.
He said the nations, who forget their benefactors, go into
oblivion and the best way to keep the memory of Engr Nizami alive was to
establish a university in his name like the Sir Syed University he established after the name
of great educationist Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
He said that old students of the SSUET can play a
significant role in this regard. Haji Hanif Tayyab, a former Federal Minister,
recalled the achievements of Engr Nizami, particularly the development of a
garden within the precinct of Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum.
He shared that Engr Nizami truly followed the Hadith of
Prophet Hazrat Mohammed (Peace be Upon Him) that when cities become big and
congested, small cities be developed nearby and he developed 45 such small
towns around Karachi.
Rizwan Siddiqi pointed out that the life of Engr Nizami
could be encompassed by taking Aligarh, KDA and Sir Syed
University into
account.
On the occasion Azad Bin Hyder presented his 1200-page book
titled “From Sir Syed to Quaid-e-Azam” to the Nizami family and said it was
Engr Nizami who inspired him to write the historic book.
In his remarks on the occasion, Farrukh Nizami, son of Engr Z.A
Nizami, gave an outline of the future plans for their illustrious father which
included the establishment of Z A Nizami Educational Society, issuance of a
postal stamp, compilation of book containing clippings and photographs relating
to Engr Nizami besides publishing the book titled “Architecture in Islam” which
their father wrote in his life time and was eagre for its launch in Saudi
Arabia.
He called for naming a city road after the name of Engr Z A
Nizami and hoped that if he had done something valuable, the Aligarh Muslim
University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA), too, should play its role in keeping
the memories of Engr Nizami alive, who remained its President for so long and
served as first Chancellor of SSUET which today enjoys a big name in the world.
The proceedings, which were largely attended by people belonging to various
walks of life, concluded with singing of “Tarana Aligarh”.
