Glowing tributes were paid to Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, an academician, mathematician and a visionary, for his contribution towards the cause of education and socio-economic empowerment of Muslims in sub-continent Indo-Pakistan. Speakers at a session organised as "Ziauddin Day" by Sir Ziauddin Ahmed Memorial Society here on Saturday also highlighted the confidence he enjoyed of Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
"It was this confidence that led to his active involvement in formulation of policies envisaged for the separate Muslim state, to be carved out from India, once the Britishers left it," said Chancellor, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology and President, Aligarh Old Boys Association, Z.A. Nizami. "His papers reveal that he had suggested massive industrialisation in (the then) North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) and establishment of State Bank in the country's eastern wing," said Dr Aijaz Fatima, the daughter of Dr Sir Ziauddin Ahmed.
She mentioned that her illustrious father who also had been the member of Indian Legislative Assembly was a strong proponent of socio-economic empowerment of Indian Muslims. Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr Asim Hussain said being a logician and astrologer, he perhaps could better realise the relevance of close and congenial relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Sindh Minister for Education, Pir Mazhar-ul- Haq said Sir Ziauddin Ahmed who continued to serve as Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, till his death in December 1947, strongly supported establishment of Sindh University in April 1947. "My grandfather Pir Illahi Baksh (Alig) was quite disillusioned to realise that Congress Party, claiming to be a secular party, was little interested in establishment of a university in Sindh, a province with majority of Muslims."
Under the guidance of his teacher, Pir Illahi Baksh not only got the charter adopted by the Sindh Constituent Assembly for the university in the province but also managed to convince another of his teachers from Aligarh University, Professor A.B. Haleem to become its first Vice Chancellor.
"This very vision was also shared by the PPP government under leadership of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto who supported establishment of private universities in Sindh," said Pir Mazhar- ul- Haq. "Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology was the first of these universities that was granted the charter by the Sindh Assembly," he said. The speakers also included former vice chancellor of Ziauddin University, Shahid Aziz Siddiqui and Dr Arif Hussain who referred to Dr Ziauddin's role as a political theorist, logician and educationist.
"Though he never migrated to Pakistan but his death in UK in December 1947 was consequent to his efforts to raise funds for establishment of a technical institute at Chittagong, in former East Pakistan," said Shahid Aziz Siddiqui. Tributes were also paid to Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Nawab Mohsin- ul-Mulk, Nawab Waqar- ul- Mulk for their contribution towards promotion of "Aligarh School of Thought," among the Muslims.
Speakers highlighted Dr Ziauddin's achievements, as first of the Indian Muslim to secure a masters degree in mathematics from Trinity College, Cambridge and also to win Sir Isaac Newton Scholarship. Secretary, Ziauddin Memorial Society, Jamil Zuberi offered vote of thanks.