Caretaker Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi on Friday said Pakistan can be made a developed nation only by improving the quality of education and despite the limited powers of the federal Ministry of Education, concrete steps would be taken in that regard.
He said this while addressing a national seminar titled “Hassanally Effendi: Light of change” on the occasion of the 139th Foundation Day of SMIU celebrated here at Sindh Madresstul Islam University.
Federal Minister said people who are torchbearers for the nation are remembered in history and the name of Hassanally Effendi was on the top of the list among those who had worked in the field of education.
Effendi played a role in the promotion of education in Sindh as British rulers did nothing in the field of education here in Sindh, Madad Sindhi said and added that after Hassanally other prominent personalities like Sayed Allahndo Shah, Dia Ram Gido Mal, Mir Ghulam Muhammad Talpur, Noor Muhammad Advocate, two brothers from Shikapur Seth Seetal Das and Seeta Ram, Nawal Rai Hiranand and others also played their part by founding reputable educational institutions that had provided education opportunities for the people of Sindh.
He announced that the Federal Education Ministry will soon organize an interprovincial conference on education in Islamabad in which academicians, educational experts, professors and vice-chancellors of all varsities will be invited so that a framework would be devised for the promotion of education in the country.
The Minister said he has been entrusted with the responsibility of the Ministry of Education for a limited period and he wishes to try as much as possible to improve the quality of education.
Highlighting the role of Sindh Madressatul Islam (SMI) in the promotion of education, the Minister said apart from the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah several other prominent personalities like Allama I. I. Qazi, Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Muhammad Ibrahim Joyo, Allama Umar Bin Muhammad Dawoodpoto and many more got education from this school and then played a pivotal role in Pakistan Movement as well as in the field of education.
My father was among those who received education from Sindh Madressah, the Minister added.
Madad Ali Sindhi urged the academicians to play their key role in improving the quality of education in Sindh and Pakistan as no nation will become prosperous without achieving qualitative education.
He congratulated the Vice Chancellor of Sindh Madressatul Islam University Dr. Mujeeb Sahrai for celebrating the 139th Foundation Day of the Alma mater of the founder of Pakistan Quaid -e- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and said he was honoured to be the chief guest of such an event.
On the occasion, the Federal Education Minister also donated 500 books to the Sindh Madressah Library on behalf of the National Book Foundation.
The Consul General of Turkiye in Karachi, Cemal Sangu said Pakistan and Turkey were brotherly countries and the relationship of both the countries was for centuries.
He said Hassanally Effendi had served as the first Consul General of Turkey in Karachi and he had helped Turkey in its war against Russia in the 19th century.
Cemal Sangu said Hassanally was awarded two titles one Effendy and another Bay for his services as he had provided their people who had fought war along with Turkish people against Russia.
He said Turkish people as well as the government consider Pakistan as its brotherly country and we also consider Allama Muhammad Iqbal as our national poet. He said in Turkey people keep the name of Allama Iqbal on their sons in respect to Pakistan’s national poet.
He claimed that as many as 60 per cent of people of the Republic of Russia were of Turkish origin and said people from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgistan, Kazakhstan and many more regions belong to Turkish origin.
Addressing the seminar, former federal minister and senator Javed Jabbar said Hassanally Effendi was a great man who founded such an educational institution that had produced our national heroes like Qauid Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
He said Effendi was so brilliant that a British Judge had allowed him to work as an advocate despite the fact that he had nothing any degree of the Law.
Javed Jabbar said ‘We must be proud of the people who played their role in making us a nation and due to their work we had achieved our separate homeland.
The vice chancellor of SIMU Dr. Mujeeb Sahrai in his welcome address highlighted the achievements of the Sindh Madressatul Islam and informed that in the last three years, several faculties and departments had been established and this varsity was producing scholars in various fields of education.
Former MPA Mehtab Akbar Rashdi while paying tribute to Hassanally Effendi said he was a man of letters who played a role in providing education to the people of Sindh in English and founded such a reputable institution.
She called on VC SIMU Dr. Sahrai so that Effendi’s grave in Hyderabad may be renovated in such a way that students and scholars could visit there for study purposes.
Professor Aijaz Qureshi, Chairman HEC Sindh Dr. Tariq Rafi and others also spoke on the occasion.
The students of Sindh Madressah played Tableaus and stage performances regarding the historical background of Sindh Madressatul Islam and the life of its founder Hassanally Effendi.
The Minister also presented souvenirs and flower bouquets to the distinguished guests on the occasion.
