Sir Syed’s services eulogised as three-day moot commences

A three-day international conference on the eve of 200th birthday of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan started on Monday. The moot, titled ‘Literature, History and Culture: South Asian Perspective and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’, is being organised by the Department of Urdu, University of Karachi (KU), in collaboration with the Higher Education Comission (HEC) and the Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu Pakistan. 

KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan while addressing at the inauguration ceremony said Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a key architecture of the modern day India and Pakistan. His wisdom and knowledge was a guiding force for the Muslims of the subcontinent after they were down and out from the politics of subcontinent following the war of independence, he added.

The VC said the eminent reformer’s ideas and thoughts of were still viable as he taught the nation to fight in tough times and to sustain a presence without compromising on dignity and honour.

For his educational and social services, Sir Syed was also recognised by the British government, he added. In his keynote address, Prof Dr Jaffar Ahmed, former director of the Pakistan Study Centre, said Sir Syed was not only considered to be a meaningful bridge between the two centuries but he was a source of dialogue between the east and west. “He emerged at that point of time when a great civilisation crisis was prevailing among the subcontinent Muslims.”

Dr Ahmed said Sir Syed had successfully managed to absorb the knowledge and wisdom of the 19th century and successfully transferred it to the 20th century.

“He founded such institutions which were the beacon of knowledge for the upcoming generations. In historical perspectives, Sir Syed’s scholarly work was rapid but also had some weaknesses,” he said. “However, his work contributed for the development of education, history and dialogue.”

According to Sir Syed, he said, it had become imperative for Muslims to be declared as a separate nation for their better future. “Sir Syed decided firmly that modern education was the dire need for the uplift of Muslims and took exemplary measures in this regard,” Dr Jaffar said. 

The dean Faculty of Social Sciences, KU, Prof Dr. Muhammad Ahmed Qadri said many unjustified fatwas were issued against Sir Syed.“Undoubtedly, he was a courageous personality who is alive in history. Sir Syed’s antiques, manuscripts and archives present in different parts of the world must be brought to the University of Karachi for research work.”

The chairperson of the Department of Urdu, KU Prof Dr Tanzeem-ul-Firdous discussed the life of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. She said the main purpose of this conference was to pay tribute to the services of Sir Syed on the eve of his 200th birthday.

She thanked the vice chancellor, the HEC and the the Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu Pakistan for their support to hold the first-ever international conference in the history of KU’s Urdu department.