FAST National University Peshawar convocation
53 receive degrees in FAST-NU convocation
Peshawar, July 23: Fifty-three students of the Peshawar campus received degrees at 15th
convocation of the FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences,
while 12 graduates were awarded medals for their distinctive performance in
various disciplines. NWFP Minister for Higher Education Qazi Mohammad
Asad was the chief guest at the convocation - overall 15th convocation of the
university and fourth of the Peshawar campus - here on Wednesday. The graduates
of Business Administration Batch 2005, Telecommunication Engineering Batch 2005,
Master in Business Administration Batch 2008 and Master in Mathematics 2007
received degrees and awards in the event. In his address on the
occasion, Qazi Asad reminded the graduates of their responsibilities which the
degree devolves on them. He told the students that they must continue achieving
higher skills of excellence in their respective fields along with their
professional careers. He urged the graduates to prepare themselves to shoulder
the responsibility of the future of the country. He congratulated the graduates,
their parents and the faculty on their commendable
accomplishments. Earlier in his welcome address, FAST-NU Peshawar Campus
Director Dr Syed Amjad Hussain Shah spoke about the progress of the institute
and appreciated the efforts made by its management and staff. He said all the
achievements show the dedication and hard work of the administrative staff,
faculty and students, and the guidance and patronage of the chancellor, the
rector, the pro-rector, the dean and the FAST-NU secretary
general. Rector Dr Amin Muhammad asked the students to uphold the
tradition of excellence and integrity. He emphasised the FAST traditions of
honesty, hard work, excellence and integrity would stay with them and help them
in pursing successful professional careers. "Our purpose is not to just
make good scientists, engineers and business professionals out of you but to
also make you good, honourable and cultured people under all circumstances," he
remarked. Those who were awarded medals on the occasion included Mehreen
Iftikhar (gold medal in Business Administration Batch 2005), Maryam Rehman
(silver) and Fawad Ahmad (bronze), Hammad Jamshed (gold medal in
Telecommunication Engineering Batch 2005), Usman Siddiqui and Usman Ali (silver
and bronze medals), Iltaf Hussain (gold medal in Master in Mathematics Batch
2007), Rehan Ali Shah and Mubashir Qayyum (silver and bronze), Kanwal Iftikhar
(gold medal in Master in Business Administration Batch 2008) and Qaiser Khan and
Zahid Iqbal (silver and bronze medals). Notable among others present on
the occasion were Dr Amir Muhammad, the Rector, Dr M. Ayub Alvi, Dean of Faculty
of Computer Science, Mian Muhammad Ajmal, Member Board of Governors, and
Registrar Dr Muhammad Latif Virk. The News
Post your comments
Universities reluctant to revive student unions
Peshawar: It has been more than a year and half now since
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced the restoration of student unions,
which were banned in 1984 by late General Zia-ul-Haq. The announcement was
welcomed with enthusiasm by students, teachers and parents, while some skeptics
registered their reservations. Even the lapse of sufficient time, there are,
however, no signs of the restoration of student unions and it is reported that
the majority of vice-chancellors (VCs) and teachers are against it. It is learnt
that in a meeting of VCs from public sector universities, most of them spoke
against the restoration of student unions, citing issues of law and order in the
campus and expressing fear that student unions will be "hijacked by political
parties." They opined that the atmosphere at the universities was "not congenial
enough" to allow the restoration of student unions. They said "students are in
disarray. A gap of 25 years is long enough to erase the democratic system from
the minds of students. We are not against the student unions but we fear the
rise in violence if unions are revived. However, they also maintained that "We
should allow students to assume leadership and for that we have to be the
guiding force. We should teach them the finer qualities of (student) unions and
how to manage their affairs. Depriving them of their basic right of
self-governance in educational institutions is not the solution". The student's
federations said that the universities are not willing to revive unions, in
order to control students with their draconian rule and deprive them of their
rights to manage their affairs through elected representatives. Universities
have been addicted to the absolute powers they hold. Now they are unwilling to
let that power slip through their hands. The teaching staff bodies were of the
view that students are not in a position to be given the mantle of leadership.
"Times have changed. A quarter of a century is a very long time to erase any
quality that is not used in that period. Students, now, are immature, less
educated (in manners and disposition) and they are not aware of the merits or
demerits of student unions. It will be disastrous to hand leadership over to
them," they feared. They said that it is not the right time to hand over the
unions to the students. They are not trained and they will become tools in the
hands of the political parties. We should begin with Student Councils. Provide
guidelines to the students and teach them to become good students, both in their
studies and in their behaviour. Only then we can expose them to the unions.
However, they also reviewed that the students were "away" from student politics
and had become accustomed to this state of affairs. They should be introduced to
the concept of trade unions in a gradual manner. They have to be taught to
behave, prove worthy of a place at an institution of higher learning, then
expect to manage their own affairs. It is widely assumed that universities'
administrations were the main hurdles in reviving the student's unions and
violating the government directives. It is pertinent to say here that in the
absence of 'student unions', the students were divided into different student
federations and even were involved in political, ethnic and linguistic groups.
One can easily see the federations like 'Pakhtun, Seraiki, Tribal, Marwat,
Khattak, Hazara student's federations, etc. So, it is the right time to restore
the student's unions that they would be put on right track otherwise as usual
they would play in hands of vested politicians again and again. F.P Report
Post your comments
IIU written tests for admission on July 26
Islamabad: International Islamic University (IIU) will take
written tests for new admissions from July 26th. The last date for
submission of applications was July 20 but it was extended till July
21. The entry tests will continue during August while the new academic
year would start on September 1, said a statement. App
Lecture on 'Mental Stress' held at IIUI
Islamabad: A lecture on 'Mental Stress' by Head Psychology Department Benazir Bhutto Hospital Dr Farid A Minhas
was held here Wednesday at International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI).
The lecture was arranged by Officers' Welfare Association (OWA) of the
University, said a news release issued here. Vice President IIUI Parveen Qadir
Agha presided over the function, while Dr Farid highlighted the reasons of
mental stress in his lecture. Mental stress helps create interest in any work,
however, more stress can have a negative impact on one's capabilities and make
him/her prone to more diseases. Dr Farid Minhas said that different recreational
and training programmes with sufficient intervals should be arranged for the
workers of public institutions to reduce stress.
Post your comments
Parents of detained students urge UK to set them free
Tank: The parents of the two detained Pakistani students in the United Kingdom
have appealed to the British government to release their innocent
children. Addressing a press conference here Wednesday, Malik Khan
Muhammad, father of the detained Abdul Wahab Burki and family members of Ahmad
Faraz said the families of both students had been passing through unspeakable
trauma for the last 104 days. They said the two were arrested from
Liverpool University on April 8, 2009 along several others and they were yet to
be released despite being innocent. They said Wahab and Faraz were peaceful and
law-abiding persons and they never remained associated with militancy or
terrorism. They added their children never committed any crime here or
in Britain.They appealed to the British prime minister to help in the release of
the innocent students and save their careers from ruin. The desperate parents
also demanded of the Pakistani government and the Foreign Office to play their
due role in getting the students released from the "unlawful" captivity in UK. The News
Post your comments
| 
