KARACHI - Sindh Madrassatul Islam University (SMIU) organised its first convocation here at PAF Museum on Saturday, where 116 students were awarded degrees.

President Mamnoon Hussain along with Sindh Governor Zubair Ahmed, who is also Chancellor of SMIU, and Dr Muhammad Ali Sheikh, Vice Chancellor of SMIU, gave gold medals to seven students and silver medals to six students.

In his speech, President Mamnoon Hussain termed holding of first convocation of the alma mater of Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah a most significant and unique precedent.

“It is a matter of happiness for me that SMIU is moving forward with success,” he said, and added, “I hope it will develop further in future."

While congratulating the degree holders, the president said that he hoped that they would serve the nation with great enthusiasm and commitment in their practical life. “Today we have reached that phase of national life, where we can change the destiny of the nation by taking the right decisions on the right time,” the president said, and expressed the optimism that youth would help materialise the nation’s dreams of prosperity. 

Addressing a girl, Mamnoon said that they should acquire more and more education according to their will and ignore all those hindrances, which may come in their way. The president further said that women played a major role in the nation’s development, but in Pakistan, their role was much significant, because they were more than fifty percent of the entire population.

“Therefore, national progress can be accelerated through the participation of girls and women in the national workforce,” he added.

Talking about the students of SMIU, President said that he had met with the students of this historic institution many times. “I found them determined and full of dreams and objectives,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Governor Zubair Ahmed said that it was honour for him to attend the first convocation of the alma mater of founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

He said that there is no another big source of inspiration than the name of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

“This is why, we must declare Sindh Madressatul Islam University as the premier institution of Pakistan due to its close association with Father of the Nation,” he said, and added, “I shall extend my full support for the development of the institution,” Zubair assured.

Dr Muhammad Ali Sheikh, VC SMIU, in his address, narrated the background of the university.

He said it started as a school in 1885, then it was elevated to the level of college in 1943 by none other than Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and at last it was further elevated to the level of university in 2012.

“Today is a historic moment in the history of Sindh Madrassatul Islam University as it has organized its first convocation,” the VC said, and added the university was a leading institution of the country because of the students passing out from here.

“SMIU has produced several leaders of the Pakistan movement, including Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Sir Abdullah Haroon, Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto, Muhammad Ayub Khuhro and others,” he informed.

In the end, VC Dr Muhammad Ali Sheikh, SMIU’s Syndicate members, former chief justice of Shariat Court Justice (r) Agha Rafique Ahmed and Jehangir Siddiqui awarded degrees to the students.

The first convocation was attended by academicians, deans, faculty, students and other distinguished guests.