KARACHI: Rich tributes were paid to the great visionary and reformer of subcontinent Sir Syed Ahmed Khan at his 200th birth anniversary, observed under the aegis of Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys’ Association (AMUOBA) and Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET) at the campus.
Pakistan Post and government of Pakistan have issued a commemorative stamp on the occasion of the 200th Birth Anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan upon the request of AMUOBA and SSUET, Karachi, said a statement on Wednesday.
Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhter and SSUET Chancellor Jawaid Anwar inaugurated the naming of the flyover adjacent to SSUET as “Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Flyover”.
Addressing the ceremony of Sir Syed Day, Jawaid Anwar, AMUOBA president and SSUET chancellor said that the debacle of 1857 War of Independence was due to the lack of technological advancement.
He said that the language of all scientific education was English so it was necessary to learn English for getting scientific education.
Chancellor Jawaid Anwar pointed out that Sir Syed Ahmed Khan devoted his entire life for the emancipation of Muslims of South Asia and Islamic renaissance.
He was a great and multidimensional person and moral values were the driving force in his concept of education.
Following his ideology, AMUOBA formed Sir Syed University and we gave a new direction towards the journey of its progress, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Former Governor Sindh, Lt. Gen. (retd) Moinuddin Haider said that Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a great leader.
Aligarh Muslim University prepared a middle class who was well groomed with high values of humanity besides education, he said. We must endeavour to enact those values and inculcate ethics in our society, he said.
Renowned scholar Professor Abu Sufyan Islahi said that Sir Syed taught us how to tell the truth. He informed that Inayat Rasool equipped Sir Syed with new dimensions of thought and modernization as Inayat Rasool was the actual mentor of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
Noted critic and writer Mobeen Mirza said the life of Sir Syed is the reflection of a complete civilisation.
Dr Heinz Verner Wesller of Sweden said that the civilisation of South Asia is connected with Urdu and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan made Urdu, the identity of Muslims in the subcontinent.
Professor Ibrahim Muhammad Ibrahim of Jama e Alazhar said that Sir Syed Ahmed Khan is acknowledged as a great personality of the subcontinent.
Presenting vote of thanks, AMUOBA General Secretary Muhammad Arshad Khan said there was only one mosque at Aligarh Muslim University and every one prayed there beyond prejudices.
On this auspicious occasion Professor Abu Sufyan Islahi’s book ‘Sir Syed Ka Saqafati Tassawar’ was inaugurated by the SSUET Vice Chancellor Afzal Haq.
Afterwards, SSUET students presented ‘Tarana-e-Aligarh’ which Aligarians sang in unison.