An unprecedented, resounding applause, clapping and standing ovation marked the start of one-day national seminar on the theme "Quid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a Founder of Nation State", followed hot over heels by rendition of recitation of verses from the glorious holy Quran and playing of national anthem. The seminar was organized by Pakistan Study Centre, University of Sindh, Jamshoro at Senate Hall, Vice Chancellor's Secretariat, Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah Administration Block, with the specific objective of paying tribute to the legendary Quid on his 142nd birth anniversary.
VC SU Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Burfat presided over the seminar, prominent scholar and former Secretary Culture, Sindh Gul Muhammad Umrani was the Chief Guest, whereas, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, SZABIST, Karachi Dr Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, noted researcher Prof Lal Bux Jiskani, SSP Jamshoro Toqeer Naeem and President Pakistan Youth Council Atique Raja were among the speakers.
Dr Burfat, in his presidential address on the occasion observed that Quid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a man of extraordinarily exceptional caliber.
"Jinnah was an impeccably dressed barrister, highly intelligent and articulate, a perfect master of strategy and statecraft, who dealt with the British and the Congress on his own terms and won the most monumental case in the history of the world judiciary - the case being of Pakistan", Dr. Burfat said.
The vice chancellor added that emergence of Pakistan on the world map as a result of Quid's indefatigable striving served as a stimulus and role-model for other Muslim nations to emulate the given example to seek liberty for them.
Dr Burfat argued that Quid had a revolutionary agenda for transformation of Pakistan's education standards. "The most practical and wisest way for us will be to act upon Quid's education vision; overhaul our national education plan on the broad outlines laid down by him. This alone will lead us to real emancipation from the ills that face us", the VC stressed.
Event Chief Guest Gul Muhammad Umrani asserted that Quid gave the nation the priceless present in form of an independent sovereign state.
"Would that there were no Quid-e-Azam; we would not have ever been able to breathe in free environs", Umrani emphasized.
Umrani further remarked that the rare principles like tolerance, non-violence, civility, forward-looking approach, democracy and liberality were the guiding influences on whatever the great Quid ever sought to do.
"We take special positive pride in the fact that Quid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born in Sindh and essentially belonged to our soil", Umrani stated.
Director Pakistan Study Center Prof Dr Shuja Ahmed Mahesar in his welcome address said that effective social reform in Pakistan would only be possible after they practiced what the iconic Quid forwarded as his cherished tenets that included faith, discipline, unity and labour.
Noted scholar Prof Lal Bux Jiskani in his research paper expressed that culture, along with religious faith served as core channels interpersonal, inter-provincial and international integration. He stressed the need for effective exploitation of culture apparatus to seek increased national integration in the given challenging national context.
SZABIST Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Dr Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, in his erudite paper forgot to pay rich homage to their national heroes, citing the program in progress as an authentication evidence of his statement.
Dr Shaikh further opined that though the heroic Quid had given them the greatest gift in shape of 'Pakistan'; yet the most critical considerations to sustain the freedom remained to be passionately pursued to realize the real essence of independence.
Those considerations, he said, were uprooting of poverty, illiteracy, inequality, disease, overpopulation, terrorism, extremism, intolerance and gender bias.
SSP Touqeer Naeem termed universities as nurseries of wisdom based on inquiry, debate, dialogue, difference of opinion, intellectual controversies carried out at appropriate forums in academic spirit at seminars and symposia.
Touqeer observed that reason thrived on controversy and critical thinking that were the hallmarks of higher education institutions.
Citing examples of best practices from western societies, Touqeer said social transformation depended largely on individual change.
He stressed every individual to realize his social role and act accordingly. President Youth Council Pakistan Atique Raja underlined peace and prosperity as two inevitable dynamics of socio-political progress in the present political landscape of the country. He eulogized passionate celebration of Pakistan's national days at SU and Dr Burfat's spectacular efforts to mainstream youth into national integration at the campus and outside.
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