Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

At least two knowledgeable ruling politicians and a few senior Pakistani officials are crediting intense background efforts of spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, Prince Karim Aga Khan, for diplomatic breakthrough between Islamabad and New Delhi that in the past few days again ignited hope of a durable peace.Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee surprised the world in the past two weeks when he suddenly reversed the belligerent Indian stance of equating Pakistan with Saddam Hussain's Iraq by offering 'decisive' peace talks and restoration of full diplomatic relations with Pakistan.

His Highness the Aga Khan, Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and Chancellor of Aga Khan University (AKU), today emphasised the importance of civil society institutions such as AKU, in providing the rapid and effective response to those affected by the 8 October earthquake disaster.

New Jubilee Insurance (NJI) Company Limited announced on Wednesday that it had acquired the general insurance business of Commercial Union in Pakistan effective Jan 1, 2003.A company press release quoted Masood Noorani, MD NJI as saying: 'This is the first time that the business of a prominent foreign insurer has been acquired by a Pakistani insurance company and is a proud achievement for the company as it celebrates its 50 years of successful operation in 2003'. The company stated that it was the pioneer and market leader in Health Insurance business in the country.

Your ExcellencyPrime Minister Shaukat Aziz
Your Excellency Governor Ishrat-ul-Ebad Honourable
Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim
Honourable Ministers
Excellencies
Chairman Dehlavi and the Members of the Board of Trustees
President Kassim-Lakha
Graduates and Parents
Generous donors and well wishers of the University,
from Pakistan and around the world
Distinguished guests

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Wednesday signed a $4.5 million cooperative agreement with Aga Khan University (AKU).The agreement will help AKU establish an alternative examination board in the private sector for secondary and higher secondary education.
The signing ceremony at AKU was attended by Federal Minister for Education, Zobaida Jalal, US Ambassador to Pakistan, Nancy Powell USAID Country Director, Mark Ward, Chairman, AKU Board of Trustees, Ambassador Saidullah Khan Dehlavi and AKU President, Shamsh Kassim- Lakha.

The Aga Khan University (AKU) and USAID on Wednesday signed an agreement for a grant of $4.5 million to AKU for establishing the country's first private examination board.The agreement signed by President AKU Shamsh Kassim-Lakha and US Ambassador Nancy Powell on behalf of AKU and USAID respectively was also attended by Federal Education Minister Zubaida Jalal and Sindh Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat, held at Aga Khan University and others.
While, Dr Thomas Christie, former dean, Faculty of Education, University of Manchester was appointed as the first Director of AKU-EB.

The buyers of Habib Bank Ltd have decided to retain its senior officials including President Zakir Mahmood. They will take over the bank management after paying for 26 per cent of the bank shares in the middle of next month.HBL sources told Dawn the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development Fund (AKFED) that bought 51 per cent HBL shares last month had asked Mr Mahmood to continue as its president with his present team. They said the Fund had apprised the State Bank of its decision to retain Mr Mahmood, and the central bank had approved it.

Presiding over the 18th Convocation of Aga Khan University, the Chancellor of the University, His Highness the Aga Khan announced the retirement of the first president of the University, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha. The Chancellor also introduced to the Convocation, Mr Kassim-Lakha's successor, Firoz Rasul, who will assume the presidency on May 1, 2006.

Canada will convert around 2 billion dollars of debt into fresh aid for education promotion in Pakistan which would translate into around 100 million dollars for education.
This was announced by outgoing Canadian High Commissioner in Pakistan, Mrs Margaret Huber, at a reception arranged for her under the aegis of the English Speaking Union at a local hotel Monday evening.

The Aga Khan University (AKU) in collaboration with the University of Alabama (UAB) at Birmingham, USA, has been awarded a grant from the Fogarty International Centre of the United States National Institute of Health, to co-develop research training courses in Karachi and abroad for Pakistani health professionals wishing to advance their expertise in occupational and environmental health.

Sindh Governor Dr. Ishratul Ebad Khan has announced allotment of 500 acre land in Karachi for the educational projects of Aga Khan Foundation (AKF).
He made the announcement at a reception he hosted on Saturday night at Governor House here in honour of Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Ismaili community. The Governor appreciated the contribution of and services of AKF in the field of health and education. He assured all assistance on behalf of Governor of Sindh to the Foundation.

In his address at Aga Khan University's (AKU) Convocation 2005, the Chief Guest, His Excellency Shaukat Aziz, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, said, 'I am privileged to be in this centre of excellence, which is an icon of quality education all over the world.' Observing that unhealthy nations can never progress, he reiterated that in order to become global competitive players, it is necessary to acknowledge a new paradigm and education systems need to change.

Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual head of the Ismaili community, held a meeting with Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad Khan at the Governor?s House on Friday. Views were exchanged on various matters of importance including rehabilitation of earthquake-hit people and ongoing measures for the promotion of health and education facilities in the province. The governor appreciated the assistance and cooperation extended by Aga Khan for the relief and rehabilitation of quake-hit people. He welcomed the visit of Aga Khan to Pakistan to express his solidarity at this hour of trial.

His Highness the Aga Khan, Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and Chancellor of Aga Khan University (AKU) today inaugurated the US $8.4 million Ibn Zuhr Building for Oncology Services at AKU?s Karachi campus.

Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Saturday told journalists at the 16th convocation of Aga Khan University (AKU) that the government was committed to reforming education because it was critical to Pakistan?s economic and social development.New education initiatives were being implemented that would enhance primary school enrolment, training opportunities for teachers and school administrators, spread literacy and encourage public-private partnership in education, Mr Jamali said.

When people of a distinctive faith or culture feel economically powerless or inherit clear injustice from which they cannot escape, or find their traditions and values engulfed culturally, and their societies maligned as bleak and unjust ...they risk becoming the victims of those who would gain power by perverting an open, fluid, pluralistic tradition of thought and belief into something closed and insular.'
'It would be wrong to see this as the future of the Ummah.'

President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Saturday launched three major projects for Karachi which will be completed within two years at a cost of over Rs443 million.

Philanthropists donate Rs20m for oncology facilityKARACHI, Feb 2: The Aga Khan University took a big step towards realizing its dream of setting up a well-equipped oncology services facility when it managed to raise Rs20 million at a dinner on Saturday night , bringing the total amount collected from philanthropists to Rs220 million.
The facility is expected to cost Rs456 million, about Rs216 million of which will be given by the university. This means that only about Rs20 million remains to be raised which, according to the university administration, will be raised soon.

This speech was delivered at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hyderabad by H.R.H. The Agakhan in December, 1964.

I am grateful and honoured by your kind invitation to me to-night, and I am sincerely thankful to you for having given me this occasion to meet the industrial and business elite of this historical and beautiful city.

His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan inaugurated the Urdu University at Karachi. 80 years old, Dr. Molvi Abdul Haq in his address of welcome recalled the historic occasion which happened 64 years ago at Aligarh when Sir Sayyed Ahmed Khan who was as old as he himself, presented an address of welcome to His late Royal Highness Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III, who was as young as the present Aga Khan.

In his address, His Royal Highness said: