Chairman Senate, Mr. Sadiq Sanjrani, in his keynote address at the 27th Convocation of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIK Institute) on Wednesday, underscored the crucial role of educated youth in overcoming Pakistan’s economic challenges.
Mr. Sanjrani was joined by a diverse assembly, including international ambassadors, parliamentarians, federal and provincial officials, academic leaders, parents, politicians, and graduating students from 11 disciplines of engineering, computing and management sciences. The convocation celebrated the accomplishments of 501 graduates, which included 11 PhD scholars, 60 Master’s, and 430 Bachelor’s degree recipients from various disciplines of engineering and management sciences.
Mr. Sanjrani emphasized the indispensable role of higher education for Pakistan’s future, urging institutions to prioritize result-oriented research and innovation. He stated, “We must foster a culture of research and innovation to stand on our own and achieve desired outcomes. Technology and knowledge are global public goods that can catalyze positive change and contribute to humanity’s greater good. This is the investment the GIK Institute has made in you.”
Moreover, Mr. Sanjrani emphasized the potential of the technology sector as a powerful driver for national development, highlighting how technology has catalyzed revolutionary changes across sectors. “Benchmarking tech transformation is crucial for the progress of our national economy,” he said.
Mr. Sanjrani further presented the idea of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Senate and the GIK Institute, under which foreign dignitaries visiting Pakistan will also tour the GIK Institute to witness its state-of-the-art facilities. Additionally, he mentioned a prospective collaboration between the GIK Institute and the Qatar Education Foundation.
Also speaking at the event, Engr. Salim Saifullah Khan, President of the GIK Institute parent body, Society for the Promotion of Engineers Sciences and Technology in Pakistan (SOPREST), paid tribute to the late founder of the Institute and former President of Pakistan, Ghulam Ishfaq Khan.
Meanwhile, Prof Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid, Rector GIK Institute, said, “Education is a matter of life and death for Pakistan. This year, we celebrate 30 years of excellence with nearly 7000 graduates produced.”
Prof Dr S. M. Hasan Zaidi, Pro-Rector academics said that convocation is a milestone for graduating students, their parents, and the academia of the Institute.
The Ph.D. scholars who completed their doctorate were: Samiullah, Akhtar Badshah, Ahsan Nadeem, Mujtaba Ghous, Muhammad Zaheer Saleem, Shams Ul Arifeen, Sadaf Shaheen, Sabiha Qazi, Shabeela Malik, Salman Ahmad Khan, and Tauheed Shehbaz.
The event concluded with the awarding of academic distinctions, including the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Gold Medal for Best Academic Performance in all Undergraduate Programmes to Ahmad Hassan, and the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Medal for best overall Performance in all Undergraduate Programmes to Musa Hayat. Faculty-based gold medals were also awarded to 11 students from different disciplines.
