Book on Dr Ishrat Husain’s life and times launched

karachi : The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi held the launch ceremony of a biography titled ‘Unravelling Gordian Knot: The Works and Words of Dr. Ishrat Husain’ on Dr Husain, former adviser to the prime minister on institutional reforms and austerity and former IBA dean and director, at the IBA City Campus on Friday.

Those who attended the ceremony included the IBA faculty, students and alumni, media, members from the academia, corporate sector and diplomatic corps.

The event commenced with a welcome note by Malahat Awan, director, Alumni Relations, Resource Mobilisation and Corporate Relations, IBA. She shed light on the legacy that Dr Husain has left behind and how he transformed the IBA.

Esteemed speakers, including Dr Husain, Executive Director IBA Dr S Akbar Zaidi, Dean UMT Lahore Dr Syed Noman ul Haq, and book author Sibtain Naqvi, were invited to the stage.

Dr Saima Husain, assistant professor, School of Business Studies and Director QEC, IBA, commended Dr Husain for bringing many scholarships and studying opportunities to the IBA fraternity. She fondly recalled Dr Husain’s instrumental role in attaining her PhD. She opined that Dr Husain was a visionary leader, who also had empathy for all.

Muneer Kamal, former chairman NBP, stated that the book narrates Dr Husain’s zest for life. He mentioned that the book encapsulates 80 years of Dr Husain’s exceptional journey, from the pre-partition era to the current times.

Kamal credited Dr Husain with being a great manager of people, saying the State Bank of Pakistan was a complex organisation and Dr Husain managed it effectively as he could assign the right person to the right role and that he transformed the SBP from a relaxed organisation to a vibrant one.

Dr Zaidi opined that every institution that Dr Husain has been associated with claims him as theirs due to the legacy that he leaves behind. Dr Zaidi thanked Dr Husain for transforming the IBA from an institute to an interdisciplinary university with over 5,000 students.

He stated that the IBA fraternity was grateful for the physical infrastructure along with the world-class facilities and opportunities that Dr Husain facilitated.

Dr Husain stated that life is not a bed of roses, and to be successful, one must face obstacles.

Addressing his success at the IBA, he credited his team for the success and stated that cooperation and teamwork is required for institutes to prosper. He also credited his wife for playing a supportive role in all his achievements.

He commended Naqvi for his efforts in penning the book. Furthermore, he advised the younger generation to have a life purpose and to contribute to the society.

He emphasised that without equal educational and employment opportunities, social mobility cannot be attained. Dr Husain encouraged the audience to think beyond their own progression and to enable the less privileged in achieving a better life and economic stability.