Category: Engineering Bodies

  • Jawed Salim sweeps PEC elections!

    Jawed Salim sweeps PEC elections!

    Qadir Shah alleges rigging..

    Engr. Jawed Salim Qureshi emerged successful as chairman in Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) Elections 2018 held on August 12.

    He received 16,718 votes (44 percent) all over the country and returned for the top slot of the commission for 2018-2021 tenure.

    His closest rival Engr. Syed Abdul Qadir Shah, the former chairman PEC got 9,912 votes.
    Two more contestants for the office of the chairman Engr. Waseem Nazir and Engr. Syed Ashfaq Hussain got 7,432 and 3,661 votes respectively.

    Engr. Qureshi’s rivals admitted he ran a well-organized campaign and also alleged he had the advantage to utilize all resources of the council to influence the voters.

    Engr. Qadir alleged the elections were rigged and they were considering to challenge them in the court.

    The results, still to be official show Engr. Syed Jamshed Ali Rizvi emerged successful as senior vice chairman with 8,925 votes. He is in Engr. Qureshi’s panel. His rival Imtiaz Shah of Qadir Shah Group got 7,187 votes.

    In Punjab, Qureshi’s Engr. Dr. Fazal Ahmed Khalid won as vice chairman with 5343 votes. His closest rival Dr. Jabbar Khan of Qadir Shah Group received 2951 votes.

    In Sindh, Qadir Shah group’s Engr. Mohammad Shafiq got 2,145 votes and secured victory as vice chairman.

    In KP, Engr. Mohammad Shahab affiliated with Qadir Shah won the poll for vice chairman with 2,305 votes.

    Engr. Qazi Rasheed Ahmed Baloch won as vice chairman with 463 votes. He is from Engr. Qureshi’s panel.

    Out of 40 members of the governing body of the council, 17 members from Qadir Shah Group managed to win the election

  • PEC elections and why?

    PEC elections and why?

    Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) Chairman Javed Salim Qureshi has come up with an idea that he would launch a ‘Technology and Construction Bank’ with Rs.100 billion for encouraging entrepreneurship in fresh engineers.
    Javed Salim was in Karachi on July 18 in connection with his campaign for the next tenure as chairman PEC as the council’s elections are due on August 12. He was welcomed by a sizeable number of engineers in the port city, some estimate the attendance was more than two thousand. Vice Chancellor of NED University and Nazir Hussein University were among those present in the moot to give support to Salim and his panel. A part of Karachi’s political following could be witnessed for his panel.
    PEC Chairman divulged how he would manage such a hefty amount of Rs.100 for his envisaged bank. “We have around 260,000 engineers registered with the PEC and of them a rough figure of 60,000 are unemployed. If each employed engineer from 200,000 engineers fund Rs.500,000 for the bank, we can generate seed money of Rs.100 billion for the purpose,” he said.
    Javed Salim’s novel idea is seen by many engineers in Karachi like the Chief Justice of Pakistan making highly expensive Bhasha-Diamer Dam with local donations. A senior engineer who wished not to be named said it is a just melodramatic tactic to attract votes for the election. He asked why engineers should pay for the venture which indeed should be carried by the governments. PEC is not an NGO, he remarked.
    Javed Salim wanted engineers to vote for his full panel as the broken mandate would not help them realize their plans which also include the induction of engineers in policy-making bodies of Pakistan.
    PEC chairman who is trying to win one more term has plans to open engineers clubs in Karachi and Jamshoro, for which the council has secured acres of land which his opponents in Sindh claim were obtained by them; not by Javed Salim. “PEC chairman never helped us (Sindh) to realize plans for the betterment of engineers in the province, Engr. Mukhtiar Shaikh said. We did each and everything on our own and materialized our plans in the province.
    Javed Salim’s plans apart, two weeks earlier his arch-rival Qadir Shah who also has served PEC as the chairman was addressing an impressive gathering of engineers, a little bigger show than of Salim’s in Karachi. “Javed Salim is responsible for the economic slaughter of engineers in Pakistan as he exempted Chinese companies from making joint ventures under China Pakistan Economic Corridor,” he alleged. His compatriots were free to text Whatsapp messages of the companies which were exempted from forming JVs and allowed to take projects without sharing proceeds with Pakistani counterparts.
    Qadir Shah claims he has much better plans for the betterment of Pakistani engineers. We have planned to transform construction activity in the country into the construction industry so that we make it mandatory for the contractors and companies to hire engineers on a permanent basis rather than buying engineers certificates.
    This plan would consume the majority of unemployed engineers in Pakistan, he says.
    Also, we shall demand 50 percent jobs for Pakistani engineers under CPEC and would bound Chinese companies to follow the rules and regulations of PEC, he says. “For that, we have to amend the rules and regulations of the PEC.”
    Aliong with Qadir Shah and Javed Salim striving to attract engineers whose number has now exceeded 260,000, yet another contender Waseem Nazir is vying for the post of the chairman.
    A reputable engineer of international stature and running MM Pakistan, Waseem Nazir is very much in the field and has visited a number of destinations to assess the situation before finalizing his panel.
    Nazir believes we need modern dimensions, not politics for improving the conditions of engineers in Pakistan. He is very much in the field and is being heard attentively as to how the situation will be changed in Pakistan. In his first tour, he has visited Peshawar, Mianwali, Islamabad, Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Ghotki, and Larkana and is getting to know what issues the engineers are facing there. He claims to have founded the third platform for engineers and is committed to restoring honor and dignity of engineers through transforming PEC into a genuine regulating body. He is an ardent supporter of PEC run by practicing engineers. However, the situation is otherwise on the ground. Although all three major contestants have their plans and visions for the future, political affiliations play a major part in these elections too. Qadir Shah and his associates lost last PEC elections except in Sindh and KP because of the PML – N clout of Javed Salim. Qadir Shah won 2010 elections because of affiliation with the then ruling PPP. Many engineers in Qadir Shah group claim they lost against Javed Salim in 2013 because the JI-backed Pakistan Engineers Forum (PEF) did not support Shah and stood divided between Javed Salim and Shah. This time around the PEF is behind Qadir Shah in full, an informed engineer claims.
    However, Engr. Imtiaz Shah, now contesting for Senior Vice Chairman in Qadir Shah’s panel says it was not PEF’s lack of unity but the PML – N got support for Javed Salim by hook and crook. Ahsan Iqbal and other engineer politicians including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi played a major role in the PEC elections. Whatever was the situation during last elections, many players who stood with Javed Salim in 2013 are seen aligned with Qadir Shah this time. Still, what has yet to be seen is how uncertainty on the political arena and popular perceptions about future affect the PEC elections which surely are significant in the wake of the unfavourable situation for the engineering community in Pakistan.

  • 9th IEEEP FAIR 2018

    9th IEEEP FAIR 2018

    IEEEP Fair 2018-Pakistan’s Premier ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

    The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of Pakistan (IEEEP) is organizing its 9th Industrial Fair from 31 July -2 August 2018. This fair is one of the biggest Electronics and Electrical Engineering Industrial Exhibition in Pakistan, show-casing a large collection of industrial merchandise and service products. Many foreign exhibitors utilize this platform to launch their products in the region. Each year the IEEEP Fair provides greater opportunities for companies, both local and foreign, to pick up the latest trends and gain access to the newest, cutting-edge products in the industry. The fair facilitates companies to engage in joint ventures exchanging technology and information. It is advantageous for university students as well, who are able to network and make connections with potential employers.

    Visit ER’s Stall, Stall# A-12, Hall# 01 Expo Centre Karachi, Pakistan.

    Benefits Of Participating:

    • View introductory and demonstrative presentations of the latest products in the engineering field.
    • An ideal setting to examine as well as compare the performance of products from competitive suppliers in Electrical & Electronics Engineering Industry.
    • An opportunity to interact with key clients and develop relations with local businesses as well as the foreign principal companies attending the fair.
    • Gain direct access to the buyers, industry professionals and high profile engineering consultants.
    • An opportunity to hold B2B meetings with both domestic and foreign manufacturers.
    • Interact with government officials, policy makers, representatives of various associations and stakeholders.
  • Engr. Qadir Shah accuses PEC  Chairman Javed Saleem of economic slaughter of local Engineers

    Engr. Qadir Shah accuses PEC Chairman Javed Saleem of economic slaughter of local Engineers

    Engr. Abdul Qadir Shah, a candidate for the top slot of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has alleged the incumbent chairman Engr. Javed Saleem of damaging the interests of local engineers through exempting Chinese companies from forming joint ventures (JVs) under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan.

    Under the PEC laws, foreign companies are bound to make joint ventures (with 30 percent share to Pakistani companies) in case of projects in Pakistan.

    Engr. Shah vowed to reverse such a decision which he called the economic slaughter of local engineers in Pakistan. “We shall not exempt any foreign company in future and ensure that they form JVs with Pakistan and also give 50 percent jobs to Pakistani engineers,” he said in an interview with Engineering Review.

    He said it was unfortunate that the PEC chairman took such a damaging decision in connivance with at least 4 senior engineers including engineer Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasiin the previous cabinet.

    When asked how such a decision would be reversed, Engineer Shah explained they would frame new laws so that the JVs were ensured while issuing licenses to the foreign companies. “It was a must for absorbing local engineers in Pakistan.”

    Engr. Qadir Shah claims to have designed a comprehensive plan to ensure employment of local engineers as according to him as many as 50 thousand engineers are unemployed in Pakistan. “Each and every contractor would be bound to hire engineers and without which they would not be issued licenses.”

    Over 50 thousand active contractors are registered with the PEC and it is compulsory for them to hire engineers for each and every project. Many of them violate the rule and buy relevant engineering certificates from engineers to show hiring just in documents. “We shall stop such practice and the PEC would physically monitor the sites to determine whether the engineers are genuinely hired,” Engr. Qadir Shah said.

    Abdul Qadir Shah said the new leadership of the PEC would merge contractors into the construction industry and create a proper mechanism for the employment of engineers. Thus, the engineers would have proper jobs, not the sale of engineering degrees, he said.
    Engr. Shah who has served as chairman PEC before Engr. Javed Saleem has in his panel Engr. Imtiaz Shah as the candidate for the office of Senior Vice Chairman, Mohammad Shafiq for Vice Chairman Sindh, RanaJabbar for Vice Chairman Punjab, Shahab Khattak for Vice Chairman KPK and Qazi Rasheed Baloch for Vice Chairman Balochistan.

  • Engr. Waseem Nazir Ready to Contest for Chairman PEC

    Engr. Waseem Nazir Ready to Contest for Chairman PEC

    Engineer Waseem Nazir, the Managing Director of MMP Pvt. Ltd is ready to contest August 2018 Elections of the Pakistan Engineering Council.
    Aspiring for the office of the chairman, he has founded the third platform for engineers and is resolute to launch a struggle to restore honor and dignity of engineers in Pakistan.
    “I have worked myself for long and now feel duty bound to do something for engineering community in my country”, He said while talking to Engineering Review in Karachi.
    Due to his huge national and international exposure, he feels a dire need of transforming PEC into a genuine regulating body which not only faces the current challenges but also polish fresh engineers into the self-esteemed lot in the country.
    Does he have any critical analysis of the performance of PEC so that he can claim to be deserving to lead it now?
    “I don’t believe in mud slinging instead am interested in sharing my strengths”, he replied
    The most important aspect which should not be overlooked is that the PEC has always been run by non-practicing engineers who do not know the issues of engineers in Pakistan.
    The council, right from its inception in 1976 has mostly been run either by politically-affiliated engineers or some from academia. Have a look at last two tenures of the council, one was headed by Engineer Qadir Shah (brother of Syed Khursheed Shah, the former opposition leader in National Assembly and the other by an engineer who is a trader and running a pesticide company.
    Since the leadership of the council does not belong to the practicing community of engineers, they were unable to resolve the issues.
    The most important job that the council was supposed to do was regulating consultants, contractors, academia, public and private sectors. PEC failed to achieve such an objective because of its non-practicing leadership. Should we write our destiny with such a limited knowledge, background, and national exposure?
    Time has changed now and it has changed the council too. Our engineers are not being recognized abroad, they do not get jobs in CPEC. For meeting such challenges, we need to get rid of traditional approach. Engineers want somebody who can think bigger.
    We need to bring our house in order in the first place. I plan to build honor and dignity of engineers through grooming and thus boosting their self-esteem. They should be trained and groomed by PEC at engineering academies for a year. Besides engineering, they must come to know about ability, skill, knowledge, and habits.
    Is Engineer Waseen Nazir’s group not affiliated with any political party?
    One may have his/her affiliations with any party but it does not mean professionalism should be compromised, he says. Ours is a non-political forum no matter our friends may be affiliated with any political party but it has nothing do with the PEC which is a constitutional body.
    I plan to regulate engineering profession which the council has to do as only issuing licenses is not enough. For instance, we do not know how many engineers we need in various disciplines in Pakistan. It’s PEC’s job. We need new technologies which again is council’s responsibility.
    I intend to introduce a third platform in Pakistan as the two available platforms have become political. My platform offers a choice to engineers and also the leadership with real credentials. Engineers have to compare credentials of all competing leaders in August election of the PEC.
    CPEC and PEC’s role for safeguarding the interests of Pakistani engineering community
    We need a thorough debate on this issue. Regulation is not about taking a decision in haste or issuing license to the companies. We need well-thought-out policies to meet challenges in the backdrop of CPEC.
    Then I have been advocating for long that PEC should have permanent desks in the Economic Affairs Division and Planning Commission. Each and every agreement should be vetted to make sure that there is no violation of PEC laws. In sum, we need an out of the box approach which is a must for our survival

  • Chinese should connect with local companies: FIATA chief

    Chinese should connect with local companies: FIATA chief

    Badat demands a separate ministry for logistics and transport sector in Pakistan.

    President, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) Babar Badat has demanded a separate ministry for the logistics and transport sector for ensuring quick solutions and rapid growth of the industry.

    Badat who presided over the ‘Logistics’ session of CPEC Summit and Expo organized in Karachi said at present the logistics industry had to run from one ministry to another to get the issues resolved. If a separate ministry for logistics and transport is formed, the issues would be resolved and thus accelerate the growth.

    He was of the view that a recent bill presented in the National Assembly on logistics does not meet the present day challenges. It should be reviewed in consultation with the stakeholders, he stressed.

    Pakistan is among the few countries of the world where there is no separate ministry for logistics and transport, he noted. The sector is an important link in the entire supply chain in the region after the launch of the CPEC and a separate ministry will become a focal point for the industry, he added.

    Badat said the Chinese companies should connect with local companies or enter into joint venture to handle transshipment or transit cargoes through Gwadar Port.

    International Chamber of Commerce Chairman Tariq Rangoonwala also stressed on the need for joint ventures between local and Chinese companies to enhance Pakistan`s industrial base and productivity. He hoped Pakistan will become a hub for transshipment trade once CPEC is fully on ground. Being a signatory to the TIR Convention, the customs connection on the international transport of goods under the cover of TIR Convention is an important link, he noted.

  • 33rd IEEEP International Symposium

    33rd IEEEP International Symposium

    33rd Multi Topic International Symposium 2018 of Institution of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEEP), Karachi centre is being held at the hotel Pearl Continental Karachi from Wednesday (March 15, 2018).

    This two-day event will come to an end on Thursday (March 15, 2018). Engr. Jawed Salim Qureshi, the Chairman, Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) will inaugurate the symposium.  Prominent development expert Dr. Kaiser Bengali is the keynote speaker of the event.

    The symposium will have 5 technical sessions in which presentations will be made by professional engineers on current issues. Out of 15 papers/presentations, four are from Germany, Singapore, China and Bhutan. They focus on current topics relating to Pakistan. Orgnaizers are sure that the papers which are being presented are very interesting.

    Some topics are given as below:

    1)     Global Warming: how energy audit and asset management can help mother earth? Engr. Azhar bin Othman, regional MD Enercon Asia pvt. Ltd. Singapore

    2)     Cyber Security – A must for anything smart Engr. Shahmeer Amir, CEO Veiliux

    3)     Cross border energy trading within SAARC – Creating a win-win situation Engr. Bhaskar Pradhan, PLET SEC, Bhutan

    4)      Energy self-sufficient smart cities for Pakistan Prof.Dr. Nasim A. Khan, Sr. Executive Director, Osmani & Co

    5)      How to be an entrepreneur in the field of new technologies in current scenario Engr. Tahir Mahmood Chaudhry, President, Pakistan Institute of Entrepreneurship.

    The best papers from the students’ seminar, based on final year students’ projects, held on Febuary 02, 2018 at The 33rd Multi Topic International Symposium 2018 will also be presented in a special students technical session on the second day of the symposium.

    A very interesting panel discussion with senior experts from utilities, private sector and academia will take place in the afternoon of day 2. The topic is: “CPEC – how is it affecting Pakistan’s economy already”.

    The chief guest of the closing session will be Engr. Khalid Iqbal (Ex Director KESC), who will also be conferred upon the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by IEEEP Karachi centre.

     

  • 33rd IEEEP  -All Pakistan Students’ Seminar

    33rd IEEEP -All Pakistan Students’ Seminar

    Committed to raise research quality, emerging areas of eng & tech: Aslam Uqaili

    Higher Education Commission (HEC) is endeavoring for enhancing the potential of higher education institutions for supporting socio-economic transformation under CPEC with a focus on development of quality human resource, civilizational harmony and knowledge inputs, said Lt-Gen (retired) Muhammad Asghar, the Consultant for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at HEC, Islamabad.

    Gen. Asghar was guest of honor at the 33rd IEEEP (Institution of Electrical & Electronic Engineers Pakistan, Karachi centre) All Pakistan Students’ Seminar in collaboration with Faculty of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro.

    “CUSP means a turning point that manifests transition from a historical period to the next,” he said while speaking at the seminar.

    He detailed about planning parameters of Pakistan vision 2025 that there were seven pillars or priority areas including first connectivity: modernizing transport infrastructure and regional connectivity to support economy that is well-integrated with regional development like CPEC. He said that secondly, people: first concentrating on developing social and human capital and empowering women; thirdly; growth:  sustained indigenous and inclusive growth while protecting natural resources and addressing impact of climate change; fourthly governance: democratic governance, institutional reforms and modernization of public sector. He said that the fifthly security: energy, water and food security, sixthly entrepreneurship: private sector and entrepreneurship growth and the seventh and final, knowledge economy: developing competitive knowledge economy through value addition. He also highlighted planning parameters of sustainable development goals (SDGs) encompassing no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; quality education; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure and reduced inequalities. He continued SDGs by including sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; life on land; peace, justice and strong institutions and partnerships for the goals.

    He said that CPEC long-term plan had another seven facets consisting of connectivity including infrastructure for integrated transport system and establishment of digital corridor; energy-related infrastructure; trade and industrial parts; agriculture and poverty alleviation; tourism and development of ocean economy; cooperation in areas concerning people’s livelihood and non-governmental exchanges and financial cooperation and border management.

    He divided the CPEC long-term plan into timelines — short-term, mid-term and long-term from 2020 to 2030. Speaking as chief guest, IEEEP president and National Transmission Dispatch Company (NTDC) technical general manager Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan said that this event gave opportunity to all young students and future engineers to present their project based research work which could lead towards conducting collaborative industrial research in order to meet indigenous technological needs of the country. He said that IEEEP recognized this significant contribution and hoped its continuity in future. He congratulated all those who were part of this institution, organizing committee, technical experts while providing technical support for arranging this mega event.

    Thanking all guests and organizing committee, MUET vice chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Aslam Uqaili said that the university transformed and evolved from undergraduate degree awarding institute to research one (university) in the past 10 years. “MUET is committed to raise research quality by employing PhD’s in conventional fields as well as in emerging areas of engineering and technology,” he said. He stated that students of the varsity regularly had been participating in IEEEP students’ seminar as it is an honour for MUET to hold this event.

    “IoT (Inteesnd big data are distinct technologies that have processed separately with passage of time. Recently, it is observed that these technologies are getting interdependent to each other by means of processing information through connected mediums,” Sungkyunkwan University Seoul South Korea department of computer education PhD assistant professor Dr Nawab Muhammad Faseeh Qureshi said. He stated that recent research challenges in resolving convergence problems during large-scale data processing in a distributing big data environment. He illustrated cloud, big data and IoT with examples. 

    MUET Faculty of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering Dean and distinguished national professor Dr Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry who was also Chief Organizer and technical coordinator of the seminar gave awards and certificates to guests and participations, while engineer Dr Farzana Rauf Abro who was the convener of the seminar paid a vote of thanks.

    Prof Dr BS Chowdhry informed that it is first time that 20 groups of final-year students belonging to 13 national and international, public and private universities presented their research papers on various topics during two technical sessions and masters’ students were also invited to submit their posters for the competition.

    Later on, MUET Pro vice chancellor Dr Tauha Hussain Ali inaugurated poster exhibition held at gallery of main auditorium varsity (MUET) where he encouraged around 45 participants who were final-year and Masters students of various national private and public varsities in the country. The IEEEP Chairman Engr Irfan Ahmed thanked Vice Chancellor MUET and Dean FEECE Prof BS Chowdhry for organizing the great event in befitting manner having participation of more than 600 students, faculty members, and professional from Industry. Engr Naveed Ansari, IEEEP Vice President South announced the result of Winners in the paper and posters competition.

  • We shall work for restoring self-respect of engineers: Engr. Irfan Ahmed

    IEEEP set to expand its role

    With its new leadership, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of Pakistan (IEEEP) is set to expand its role in the changing environment and determined to extend help to young engineers in the country.

    Engineer Irfan Ahmed who has assumed the office of the Chairman of the IEEEP, Karachi Center believes the institute should play its proactive advisory role so that the governments should be able to address deepening issues relating to engineering in the country.

    After the new office bearers took over the charge, Engineering Review talked to Engr. Irfan Ahmed to know how he and his team will assert the institute so that engineering and engineering community is benefited in Pakistan. “We are contemplating to change aims and objectives of the institution to adopt a new role. At present, dissemination of knowledge and encouraging professionalism fall in the ambit of the institution as per its existing aims and objectives,” he said.

    “We believe these aims and objectives are not sufficient as the environment has changed”, he observes.

    Institutions in the country have been eroded which has resulted in emergence of personalities and thus personal interests have superseded institutions. This atmosphere, he feels has affected IEEEP too. This needs to be addressed, he believes.We are now moving towards framing new aims and objectives so that young engineers are extended with help. We shall soon constitute a subcommittee in local council with the task of forming new aims and objectives which will be presented before the central council for approval.

    Engr. Irfan seemed resolute to make endeavors to restore self-respect of engineers. “The non-engineer bureaucracy has an upper hand in most government engineering agencies which is against the PEC rules under which no non-engineer can supervise the work of engineers. It is violation of the act of the parliament”, he said. “We want to work for discouraging such a practice in the country. We are thinking to organize a panel discussion on CPEC in the symposium. But CPEC is not the only issue. Instead, each and every agreement that the government has reached at with other countries and which does not favor engineers is our issue. The issue which infringe our rights is our issue and we would like to talk about it. We believe that job creation should be the prime objective of any investment in Pakistan so that the engineers, skilled people and labor should benefit. The government has signed some agreements which do not favor our people. He however did not name such agreements in which the interests of local people have been compromised.

    Energy crisis in Pakistan is over?

    The technical data that we have received from federal government departments says the energy crisis will remain for few years more. There is a lot of information which is not shared publically, he says. I don’t know how the government claim the energy crisis is over. What is the basis of such a claim? We don’t know. But whatever is evident cannot be denied. Load shedding continues as yet. No matter you name it load management but it is load shedding. I think the way things are moving crisis would remain.

  • IEEE Karachi Section Hosted Ceremony to honor Prof BS Chowdhry

    IEEE Karachi Section Hosted Ceremony to honor Prof BS Chowdhry

     Recipient of Distinguished National Professor Award

    IEEE Karachi Section hosted an honors ceremony to celebrate the occasion of paying accolades to Prof Dr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry, Dean FEECE, Mehran UET who has recently been bestowed upon Distinguished National Professor Award by HEC, Pakistan. The ceremony was attended by a large number of Engineering Professionals, IEEE ExCOM Members, Academicians, laureates and Media person. The ceremony was hosted at DHA Sunset Club, Karachi on 10th September, 2017 was one of its own kind where people attending rejoiced their feelings by expressing words of gratitude and recalled about the contribution and guidance of Dr. BS Chowdhry from his majestic aura which has shaped their character and personality.

    Engr. Parkash Lohana (Past Karachi Section Chair and an Academician currently) hosted the session by Congratulating Prof Chowdhry on achieving this significant milestone. Engr Irfan Ahmed, a veteran professional of the Industry mentioned that Prof Bhawani Shankar is a role model in our society and his dedicated years of service would live in our memory. He commented about unmatched qualities Prof BS Chowdhry’s Academic Caliber, Hard work, passion, helping to others, sincerity, and patriotism. He and mentioned that Professor Chowdhry is unusually versatile and creative. Dr. Shakeel Khoja (Chairman Computer Science, IBA Karachi) shared by saying that not only Dr. BS Chowdhry has been his mentor but also possess a grandfather-like figure to hes daughters and how they enjoyed their stay at Southampton, UK during postdoc fellowship period.  We can never forget his valuable and effective suggestions during the bad times in the University.  Followed by his comments, Dr. Hyder Abbas Musavi (Dean FEST, Indus University Karachi) who has had the honor to be direct student of Dr. Bhawani in UG as well as in his PhD supervision. He shared that how he was astonished by the quick-memory recalling and expressed that this indeed is a key-point for a good teacher to remember their students with not just names but also from their roll numbers. Moreover, he also said that he is so proud of being having  worked  in supervision of Dr.  Chowdhry that on every appreciative call, he feels like his father is being praised for something worthy. More comments were followed by personalities such as Tahir Saleem (Retired Electrical Engineer), and Engr. Alam Halepoto (Retired Engineer) who have had the privilege to have spent many dozen decades with Dr. BS Chowdhry and their comments mostly reflected past-memories and life experiences.

    Engr. Naval Vaswani (Director, Integrated Services Excellence),  who has also been a lifelong student of  Dr. Chowdhry expressed his feelings.  Sir Bhawani means a complete Professional who qualifies all the prerequisites of worthy award as being fundamentally a good teacher and teacher trainer, perfect communicator, a proficient administrator, a soft skills expert and an updated resource person. Adding into discussion, Dr.  Irfan Hyder (Dean, IoBM Karachi) mentioned that Dr. Chowdhry is  a having all the traits of good human being who elevated himself above the post and offered everyone  marvelous lessons of excellence. He is  a strong believer of creativity.  As simple as he appears, he gained respect wherever he stood and walked.Last but not least, Engr. Sarang Shaikh (A Young Professional and IEEE Karachi Section Treasurer) was asked if he would like to share his words of gratitude. Sarang, being a young professional himself has made a good reputation and name at IEEE both nationally and globally and his words were circled around that how he  got great pieces of advices from  Dr.  Chowdhry during his undergrad when he was a student and Dr.  Chowhdhry being Dean and how his failures were complimented by Dr. BS teachings, mentoring and his ultra-inspiration made me  to become a global contributor at IEEE and a responsible citizen.  Manzoor Shaikh, Associate Editor, Engineering Review highlighted upon contributions and dedication of Dr. Bhawani for raising academic standard of MUET and bringing so many opportunities for MUET students who have been availing many international exchange opportunities such as Erasmus Mundus and Erasmus Plus Mobility.

    Dr. AS Nasir, former UN Diplomat  appreciated efforts of IEEE Karachi section to honor such a distinguished personality, who is an iconic figure, a stunning model for every one and  deserves every word of appreciation. I am honoured to share about Dr Bhawani and his accomplishment seems a journey for all those who still try to aspire for greatness.   Dr. Shahid Shaikh (Vice Chair Karachi Section and academician) also shared his experience with Dr. BS followed by Dr. Shahab Siddiqui (Secretary, Karachi Section and an academician) finally concluded the ceremony by giving note of thanks to everyone in the room.

    The ceremony ended by Dr. BS Chowdhry thanking IEEE Team  with words of gratefulness and how he has been blessed by God byand supportive people surrounding him and to be able to achieve what he has in his life. Attendants were served dDinner and a group photo was taken in remembrance of theto occasion.