Pakistan Needs AKU Qualified Doctors and Nurses for their Competence, Character and Experience Says Chief Justice

"We see you as our future leaders who will steer the country in the right direction, with courage, fortitude and honesty. I am extremely proud, as I see that in the near future decisions that have to be made will be made with your guidance and expertise, and that the oath that you take today will be fulfilled in full measure. Pakistan needs your competence, your character and your experience," said the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Irshad Hasan Khan, who was the chief guest at AKU's 14th Annual Convocation on November 3, 2001.

Chairman Board of Trustees, Saidullah Khan Dehlavi (standing), declaring the Convocation open. (L to R) Rector Dr. C.W. Vellani; Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed; Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, President, AKU; Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan; Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan, keynote speaker; Dr. S.M. Rab; Munawwar Hamid and Aziz Currimbhoy

Held for the first time at AKU Sports and Rehabilitation Centre, the event was unique as the first class of the BScN. programme graduated. It also included the faculty and students award ceremony that recognised faculty members for their outstanding teaching performances and students for their meritorious achievements.

The elegant gathering of over seventeen hundred guests included the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan, who was the keynote speaker; the new Chairman of the Board, Ambassador Saidullah Khan Dehlavi and other members of the Board; senior government officials, diplomats, academicians, donors, prominent citizens, the University faculty and, most importantly, the students and their proud parents. The ceremony began with an academic procession into the gymnasium. Dr. Amir Ali Shoro, Professor of Anatomy, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, who is also Director Alumni Affairs, led the impressive faculty procession, proudly holding the University flag. Then came the academia, followed by the graduating students, in their elegant robes and headwear.

This year, the University honoured 193 graduates who successfully completed their academic programmes. Eighty-one completed their MBBS programme and four their Masters in Epidemiology  and Biostatistics. One hundred and eight graduated from the School of Nursing, including 27 with post R.N. BScN.; 16 with Bachelor of Science in Nursing; and 65 with nursing diplomas. Welcoming the guests and  felicitating the graduates, the  President of AKU,  Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, said: "Today we honour the achievements of 193 men and women who, through hard work, dedication, perseverance and calling, now find themselves on the threshold of their chosen careers. They are about to embark on a lifetime of learning and personal growth that will be limited only by their desire to serve, their will to succeed, their need to excel, and their courage to face all obstacles."

Alumni to Help Raise Education Standard

Lauding the efforts of the students, Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan acknowledged the role of AKU alumni in uplifting the standard of education in the country, and said that it was  heartening to learn that an increasing number of AKU alumni were returning to Pakistan to serve their nation.

Faculty Awards (L to R): Asho Ali, AKUSON, receiving the Teacher for the Year Award; Dr. Nadir Ali Syed (MBBS' 90), Department of Medicine; Dr. Naila Kayani, Department of Pathology; and Dr. Riaz Hussain Lakdawala, Department of Surgery, receving the Outstanding Teacher Awards. Perviz Husain, Center of English Language, receiving the Excellence in Classroom Teaching Award.

AKU Confers  Honorary Degree on Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan

It was a momentous occasion for the Institution when the University awarded its honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (D. Litt.) Honoris Causa to Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan, for his outstanding contribution as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of AKU for the past 16 years. President Shamsh Kassim-Lakha read out the citation and Chairman Dehlavi delivered a message from the Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, prior to conferring the honorary degree on Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan. The audience responded with a standing ovation. In the message, His Highness said, "An honorary doctorate is the highest level of recognition that Aga Khan University can bestow upon any individual. For this reason, AKU has awarded such degrees with great respect, but also care and circumspection. Indeed, AKU has only awarded three such degrees in the past 18 years." The previous awardees were Dr. Halfdan T. Mahler, Director General WHO, who received the honour for his relentless service to health care worldwide, and Professor David Elliot Bell, an eminent academician who served as a founding trustee on the Board of the University for 15 years.

To commemorate Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan's outstanding contribution as the founding chairman, the Chancellor announced the establishment of the Sahabazada Yaqub-Khan Professorship in Philosophy. This position will be in AKU’s new College of Arts and Sciences, that is currently being developed. Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan's keynote address was a message of hope, not just for the students but also for all those who listened to his words of counsel: "In these sombre and fateful days, it seemed to me to be right and proper to mention some of the challenges that face us all and face your noble profession in a poignant manner. Human ingenuity has again and again proved its mettle and its  capacity to pursue vigorously the discovery of antidotes to meet future contingencies, however dire and intractable they may appear to be, because the spirit of the human species and especially of men and women such as those I have the honour to address - that spirit is surely unconquerable."

Graduates Go Down Memory Lane…

As the ceremony  progressed, it was the graduates’ turn to share memories on this long-awaited day. Dr. Afsheen Siddiqui was the valedictorian for the Medical College, while Shabana Mohammad Ali Damji represented the School of Nursing.

The graduates of the post R.N, BSc N, programme taking the international pledge of nursing.

Awards for Outstanding Graduates

AKU's coveted Gold Medal went to Dr. Hammad-Ul-Haq Qureshi. This medal, awarded only six times in the previous 13 convocations, recognises an outstanding medical graduate who tops three of the four certifying examinations, including the finals. In this case, the student topped all four certifying examinations. Mahajabeen Rahmatali Ismaili was conferred the Outstanding Graduate Award for the R.N. Diploma programme, while Yasmin Pyarali Parpio and Roshan Jan Muhammad Manasia, received the Outstanding Graduate Awards in Generic BScN. and post R.N. BScN. respectively.

Outstanding Teacher Awards

One of the memorable moments was the award ceremony for teachers who were honoured for their noteworthy performances in guiding the students and providing them an environment   conducive to learning. Amidst standing ovation from the graduating students, Dr. Naila Kayani, Department of Pathology; Dr. Nadir Ali Syed, Department of Medicine (Neurology); and Dr. Riaz Hussain Lakdawala, Department of Surgery (Orthopaedics), received the Outstanding Teacher Awards. The award recognises outstanding teaching performance by the Medical College faculty in various constituencies of the University. The Student's Award, for the outstanding teacher, was presented to Dr. Bushra Jamil. From AKUSON, Ann Castellino and Syeda Naghma Rizvi received the awards for Excellence in Classroom Teaching, while Aliya Saifullah received the award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching. Asho Ali was the recipient of the Teacher of the Year Award, selected by the AKUSON student body. Perviz Husain, from the Centre of English Language, received the Excellence in Classroom Teaching Award.