Reliving memories: 84-year-old alumnus comes for 100 years of Islamia

Alumni talk about the ‘good old days’ at Islamia College University

PESHAWAR: An 84-year-old former Islamia College University student, Colonel (retd) Faqir Gul Khattak, showed up to participate in centennial celebrations of his alma mater. The event was held at Chelmsford Hostel on Sunday.

“In the days when I was a student [at the institute], a teacher was considered a treasure of knowledge,” said Faqir Gul while addressing the gathering as the chief guest. “I hope Islamia college maintains those high academic standards and exemplary discipline that is unfortunately missing in our lives nowadays.”



He advised young students of the institute to remain focused on their studies. “Islamia College University has played a significant role in shaping the lives of many a great people who are serving in almost every field.”

Good old days

Faqir Gul told the students they have a great future ahead and it is they who have to take the country out of the crisis it is currently in. While expressing delight at being at the institute he studied at decades ago, he said, “I feel privileged tonight that I revisited my room [in the hostel] after six decades.” He added in a youthful tone, “I feel like I’ve been born again after breathing in the lush green lawns of Chelmsford Hostel.”

Also present on the occasion, Alamzeb Khan, a former bureaucrat, said he used to live in the hostel in 1962 and had a wonderful time with the former home minister of Punjab, Shuja Khanzada, who was his roommate. Khanzada was assassinated on August 16.

Professor Muhammad Shafiq, another member of Senior Alumni Association, said he was a student of Islamia college from 1965 to 1971. He said he was a senior monitor at the hostel during his time there.



“Our teachers were fair and honest to their profession; we learned from their walk, talk and chalk, more than anything else.”

Celebrations

Vice Chancellor Professor Ajmal Khan said efforts were under way to revive “the good old times” of the institute. “A memorial placard will be placed in the room of Shuja Khanzada in the hostel.” Ajmal added a large number of female students also studied at the institute and efforts are made to include more students from far-flung areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.

To celebrate the resistance of the hostel since 1917 in the institute, the building was decorated with colourful lights. Students presented skits. Irfan Khan, a student took the limelight with his jokes. A group of students also presented a humorous qawali.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th,  2015.