Sindh Madressatul Islam University celebrated 134th Foundation Day of the institution on Saturday in a befitting manner. Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh, Vice Chancellor of SMIU, diplomats and other guests participated in the cake cutting ceremony, held at the Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Auditorium of the university, an official of the institution said here on Saturday.
Afterwards, addressing the ceremony Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh said that establishment of Sindh Madressatul Islam on 1st September 1885 was a result of unrest prevailing in Sindh after annexation of Sindh by British in 1843; as Sindh's Muslims despite having six times more in the majority than other religious communities, were legged behind in all spheres of life. He added that failed war of Independence of 1857 had also compelled the Muslims of sub-continent to get modern education along with their religious education.
"In this respect, the first successful experiment was done by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan by establishing Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875 at Aligarh," Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh said and added that after that successful experiment Khan Bahadur Hassanally Effendi with the support of Justice Amir Ali and with the advice of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, opened Sindh Madressatul Islam in Karachi in 1885.
He was of the view that in the later days SMI transformed Sindh's Society and produced great leaders of the nation. He said that today SMIU upholds its legacy and provides modern education especially to the students of under privileged class, because Sindh Madressah was established for poor students of the province.
Earlier, Prof. Dr Zahid Ali Channar, Dean Faculty of Management, Business Administration and Commerce, Prof. Syed Asif Ali, Dean Faculty of Information Technology and students of SMIU highlighted role of the institute played in modern education as a school, college and university.
On that occasion a group of SMIU's students also performed on a tableau and another group of students presented a song of SMIU. Two documentaries were too screened. The ceremony was attended by Tolga UCAK, Consul General of Turkey, Jonson Green, Public Affairs Officer of U.S. Consulate, Stephen Valen, Cultural Affairs Officer of U.S. Consulate and students of SMIU and other guests attended the ceremony.