KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari appreciated the role of Sindh Madressatul Islam University’s (SMIU) in the development of the country through its alumni. He said that Sindh Madressatul Islam had produced great leaders of the country, including Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Shahnawaz Bhutto and others.
These views were expressed by the party’s chairman, while meeting Sindh Madressatul Islam University’s (SMIU) Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh, on Wednesday at Bilawal House.
The institute is considered a national heritage of Pakistan, he said.
Bilawal also offered his full support for progress and development of the university, adding, the country needs qualitative higher education for its progress and development.
During the meeting, Dr Shaikh presented books to him which he authored on Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Khan Bahadur Hassanally Effendi, and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
Dr Shaikh briefed Bilawal about the historic role of the SMIU and its deep association with his family. He said that Khan Bahadur Hassanally Effendi had founded SMI 132 years ago and Shahnawaz Bhutto had received his early education from the institution.
Dr Shaikh further said that during Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s visit to SMI in 1999, she had promised that when her party will come into the power, SMI will be elevated to the level of university and such promise was fulfilled by Asif Ali Zardari, when he was president of Pakistan, by announcing university status for the institute in May 2010.
Dr Shaikh said that the Sindh government had always extended its full support to SMIU.
