Ziauddin University graduates urged to pursue dreams not money

Students lauded for their achievements and urged to serve the less privileged.

KARACHI: The blind are seeing the world through their tongue - they can even differentiate between a knife and a fork. Scientists have discovered how to not only slow down the age process, but also to reverse it. Paper-thin bullet proof vests have been invented. One can steer a car with thoughts alone or achieve invisibility through a cloak of meta-materials.

“Truth has indeed become stranger than fiction today,” remarked former Higher Education Commission chairperson, Dr Attaur Rehman, at the 10th convocation ceremony of Ziauddin University, where a bedazzled group of young graduates hung on to his every word. The keynote speaker talked about some of the latest developments while making the fresh graduates realise that they were living in an exciting age. “A BMW car was driven around just with the thought process in Germany,” he said, describing the system recently developed by scientists that enables a person to steer the car just by using his thoughts.

“Research is fun”, he said. “This is the world of research and science.” He asserted that there are four pillars that contribute to the success of an individual - education, science, innovation and good governance.

Dr Rehman said that it was impossible to materialise the other three pillars in the absence of good governance, expressing hope that the new government will invest in education, science and research. Giving his final advice to the graduates, the acclaimed scientist said that, “Believe in yourself and Allah and stop wasting time in trivialities. Don’t be money minded - serve people with dignity and honour.”



Ziauddin University vice-chancellor Prof. Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui showed great confidence in the graduates, saying that they held the potential to face all challenges. He informed the audience of the large number of research papers, originated in the institution, that had been published because of which it was now listed among the top five medical universities in the country.

The chancellor, Dr Asim Hussain, a former adviser to the prime minister for oil and natural resources, apprised the students of their achievements and said that anything could be achieved through determination. “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it and if you can dream it, you can become it,” he asserted while urging the students to use their talents to contribute to the country’s progress.

Federal Minister for Housing and Works Dr Younis Soomro, being the chief guest at the occasion, urged the students to serve the less privileged. “You are all agents of change and your success is embedded with the people.”

Gold medallists, Rabab Sehr, Shabnum Rehan and Kumail Khandwala, told The Express Tribune that although they were ecstatic about receiving the awards, they were wary of their prospects in the field of healthcare due to the lack of jobs. Khandwala, who received a gold medal with several distinctions in MBBS, said that despite the lack of jobs and medical professionals, serving humanity was his first priority and that money was a secondary objective. His father was, however, of the view that medical education was so expensive that one has to pay through the nose for it.

Among the 300 students graduating in different disciplines, four were awarded Sir Ziauddin Ahmed Academic excellence gold medal, while three others were conferred the MPhil degrees.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2013.