‘Need for qualified pharmacists has never been direr in Pakistan’

The foundation stone of the pharmacy block of the Ziauddin University was laid on Tuesday by Sardar Yasin Malik, chairman, Hilton Pharma, at the Education City on the Super Highway-Link Road, around 40 kilometres north of Karachi.

On the occasion, Dr Asim Hussain, chancellor of the Ziauddin University, said that the Ziauddin University was the first institution to have explored possibilities of moving in here. He said that the plot had lain vacant for almost 24 years.

He said that the engineering faculty had been built there with ultra-modern learning aids and state-of-the-art equipment. He said landscaping had been carried out where there was just wilderness.

Later, addressing the guests and the media in the ultra-modern auditorium of the engineering faculty, he held out the exhortation, “Be content with what you are and what you have. It’s all ordained by God Almighty.”

He said that next January 5, admissions would take place on this campus with an intake of 750 students. Dr Hussain said that honestly speaking, the standard of education in Karachi, as elsewhere, had gone down tremendously and there was an imperative need to improve it.

Sardar Yasin Malik, after laying the foundation, said that shortage of land was an issue for all universities as the cities were becoming too overcrowded with all the humdrum which certainly was not conducive to academic activity. He hailed the fact that there was no water shortage at the site which would, he said, make it easier for the varsities that moved here.

He paid tribute to Dr Asim Hussain for having facilitated the setting up of the Engineering Faculty which had exemplarily modern equipment. He said that the setting up of the pharmacy block was highly warranted as the need for qualified pharmacists had never been direr in the country. He quoted Dr Asim’s assertion that the growing needs of a growing population were sure to exert lots of pressure on resources, especially land and as such, it was highly imperative for other universities to move over to places like these.

Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, vice-chancellor of the Ziauddin University, lauded Dr Asim Hussain as a role model and as one of the few visionaries of Pakistan. “His mission is to turn Pakistan into a knowledge-based society,” said Dr Siddiqui.

Talking about Sardar Yasin Malik, he said that Malik was the elected representative of five million people. Besides, he said, Malik was the country’s largest taxpayer. He had set up 100 schools for normal children and 50 for special ones.

Dr Rafiq Alam, dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, lauded Malik for his massive contribution to the cause of education in the country. He also lauded Dr Asim Hussain for his astute leadership and his determination to serve the cause of education.