We are fortunate to have the best alumni, who have spent their whole life for the betterment of the University of Karachi, and the best way to remember and pay tribute to these people is to carry forward their mission, the KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said on Tuesday.
He was addressing after inaugurating Dr Sami Uz Zaman Memorial Research Laboratory at the Department of Chemistry.
He congratulated the family members of the late Dr Sami Uz Zaman for establishing a research lab in his memory and informed the audience that the University of Karachi would provide all possible cooperation for the promotion of teaching and research activities in the research lab.
The KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi mentioned that the establishment of the lab will not only help in fulfilling Dr Sami Uz Zaman mission, but will also give young researchers ample opportunity to avail benefit from it.
On this occasion, the Vice Chancellor Women University Swabi Professor Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi, the President Unikarians International Professor Ejaz Ahmed Faruqi, the President Karachi University Teachers Association Professor Dr Shah Ali Ul Qadar, member KU Syndicate Professor Dr Syed Muhammad Taha, former Chairman Department of Chemistry Professor Dr Arif Kazmi, Chairperson Department of Chemistry Professor Dr Hajira Tahir and others were present.
The VC Women’s University Swabi Professor Dr Shahana Kazmi said that the University of Karachi is very fortunate in the sense that the KU alumni is rendering services all over the world and gives credit to its university and faculty for its success which is commendable.
She mentioned that Dr Sami Uz Zaman had a cordial relationship with the University of Karachi which lasts till death and now his family is carrying forward his legacy.
She informed the audience that Dr Sami Uz Zaman was an excellent teacher who will be missed by the entire university. The establishment of the lab by his family is a good initiative that will continue to benefit future generations.
Meanwhile, the widow of Dr Sami Uz Zaman, Dr Khaleda Sami, his son Saleem Uz Zaman and daughter Maheen Salman paid homage to Professor Dr Sami Uz Zaman and said that Dr Sami Uz Zaman was always engaged in teaching and research, and spent more time at the campus than with his family.
They mentioned that even after his retirement, he continued to be associated with the field and the chemical industry, and always grant holidays to employees of his company not only on examination days but days before the paper to prepare for exams. They shared that this process is still going on.
They shared that Dr Sami Uz Zaman was associated with the University of Karachi since 1964 and accomplished his PhD in 1971, while he remains a faculty member for seven years.
According to them, late Dr Sami Uz Zaman researched for 25 years in PCSIR and 33 years in his own company Global Environment Lab.
The family members shared that Dr Sami Uz Zaman had 10 publications and one patent with 22 processes developed, and was an external examiner for MPhil and PhD for the last 21 years, and member Board of Studies of the Department of Chemistry for the last two years.
