First improve old universities before opening new ones: QAU VC

Islamabad

Quaid-i-Azam University Alumni Association recognising services of old employees of the alma mater organised a ceremony at the campus which turned out to be a small get-to-gather. 

Dr Javed Ashraf, the vice-chancellor, gave away shields and gifts to 10 old employees including a ‘dhaba’ owner, Haji Majeed, who hosted the lunch.

In his address, he said that earlier he was misinformed and on behest of some faculty members, “we were about to dissociate alumni from QAU, but after meeting them, I realised that there is no bigger pillar of support to the university than this alumni association.”

He did not name but there was a campaign led by a teacher launched on the net and in papers charging embezzlement of funds where a professor even demanded financial record from the old students’ body.

It was a present surprise for the VC that MoU signed with the alumni only facilitated hundreds of scholarships for the poor students especially those affected by 2010 floods. He also was told that the association charged no fees from its members and all its functions were sponsored by its members.

Dr Ashraf said that QAU is top in ranking over the years in the country but that ranking is in danger now. He said that we do not have that infrastructure. There is no auditorium except a departmental one and buildings and buses are in bad condition and university lacks funding even to repair them. He said that students take bath in cold water in December and January. He said that No 1 University is running in Rs5.3 million deficits. “We meet the deficit by not filling the posts,” he revealed.

He said that instead of opening new universities, first improve the old ones. We should have reasonable targets instead of establishing universities in all districts, pleaded. He said that QAU should look as No 1 University in shape also. He said that it is a good slogan that once Quaidian, always Quaidian.

He regretted that there is too much politics in the university. He lamented slogans on the basis of provincial or sectarian basis. He said that the only way to improve university is to go together.

Sheikh Muhammad Ashraf who had been President of Employees Welfare Association for many years said that the love and affection between university community in 1970s was marvellous and we lived as family. 

He said that irrespective of grouping, all old boys or girls support whenever a case of university or its staff goes to them in bureaucracy or elsewhere. He said that we always treated the students as our children, hence we are being recognised by the alumni.

Rai Sikandar, President of Alumni Association, said that we could belong to different parties but were one at Mujeed’s Hut in the evening. He also remembered cuisines of Majeedabad and mentioned crisis, a dish thus called. He also mentioned Rana Shabbir who joined in young age as conductor and used whistle by his mouth instead of the metallic whistle and later become the most popular drivers of the university fleet.

Mr Sikandar narrated many stories where QAU alumnae helped people from QAU. He also mentioned driver Lala Safder for his services. Another person he recalled not present there but his memories were there as all degrees and ID cards of students had his calligraphy was late Shaikh Nisar.

Earlier, Murtaza Noor, the Secretary-General of Alumni, gave a brief history of the Alumni. He said that QAU is in top 700 universities in the world, but we want to be in top 200 or top 100. He said that Pakistan is 119th in innovation in the world and if our universities are not given autonomy and budgeting, Pakistan will slip further in the rankings. He said that the government should announce QAU as flagship institution of the country and announce special package as announced in countries like China and Korea.

  Farhat Asif said that Malik Khaliq, the humble, smiling conductor could not come to receive his shield due to death of his niece in Talagang.