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

The first private sector micro financing institution is being set up by two Aga Khan institutions with a capital base of Rs500 million and is likely to start functioning from November.All ground work has been done, formalities completed and even a consent has been obtained from the State Bank of Pakistan for the chief executive and directors on the board of the Aga Khan Micro Finance Bank. The sponsors are now just waiting for the promulgation of the ordinance.

Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) has agreed to work in partnership with the Research Triangle Institute- Education Sector Reform Assistance (RTI-ESRA) for building the institutional capacity of selected districts of Sindh and Balochistan to be funded by USAID.
An orientation programme was held at the AKU-IED to discuss the institute's role in building institutional capacity.

The March-2003 Bulletin of the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a research study on the achievements of Aga Khan Housing Board for Pakistan's (AKHBP) Water and Sanitation Extension Programme (WASEP).
The programme being implemented in the Northern Areas (NA) and Chitral in partnership with Aga Khan Foundation and KFW-the German Development Bank, provides integrated water supply, health, education and sanitation services to the local communities on the principle of community participation and self-help.

Detailed Schedule of Programme(a) Thursday Dec 04, 2003 at 3.30 pm: Tree plantation for Name Facility donors only.
(b) Friday Dec 05, 2003: Dinner at Hotel Marriott (Pool side) at 8:30 pm (by invitation) in honour of visiting donors and their gussets who are attending the Convocation or any other donor events at Karachi. This is as per eligibility criteria applied for Convocation and/or donor events. The dinner is being hosted bythe AKU Resource Development Committee for Pakistan (Ismaili).

The UK-based Welcome Trust Foundation has awarded $500,000 research grant to Aga Khan University (AKU) for a study on high blood pressure, designed by Dr Tazeen Jafar, an assistant professor, and her colleagues at university's Department of Medicine.
The Trust is widely known for its high profile in the best academic and research circles throughout the world, and for funding only scientifically robust and internationally competitive research projects. 'It is indeed a great source of pride for the AKU to be recognised as a genuine research university on the international stage,' said Dr Jafar.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/EE09Df02.htmlAsia Times
May 9, 2003
By Syed Saleem Shahzad

KASHMIR IN FOCUS
New start, new ideas and new faces

KARACHI - With both India and Pakistan appearing ready to make a paradigm shift in their policies on Kashmir, proposed talks on the disputed territory can be expected to be more precise and practical than the last abortive round in Agra in India in July 2001, and could result in a change in the region's political map.

JCR-VIS has assigned a medium to long-term rating of 'A+' with a 'positive' outlook, and short-term rating of A1+ to First Micro Finance Bank Limited (FMBL), said a press release on Monday.
The ratings incorporate the management's expertise and the board's commitment to the mandate of the bank.

The First Micro Finance Bank Limited (FMFBL), one of the first institutions of its kind to receive a license from the Afghan government, has recently been awarded highest rating by the JCR-VIS, a credit rating agency, said a press release on Friday. The FMFBL was awarded a medium to long term rating of 'A+' (Single A Plus) with a positive outlook, and a short term rating of A-1 + (A One Plus). The JCR-VIS said in a press release, 'The ratings incorporate the management's expertise and the boards' commitment to the mandate of the bank.

German economic minister has said that global stability will only be realised if poverty, hunger and injustice are overcome.
German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Heidemarie Wieczorek Zeul, was speaking at the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Aga Khan.

A joint press release of Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), said Thursday.

Dr Ishrat Husain, Governor State Bank of Pakistan, was the chief guest at the inauguration of the new Soparivala Building at Aga Khan University (AKU), which was timed to coincide with the Independence Day celebrations. The Soparivala Building, named after the Soparivala estate generously gifted to AKU, will house the new clinical laboratories. The new laboratories will double Aga Khan University Hospital's (AKUH) existing medical test processing capacity to 10 million tests annually.

Allan Rock, Minister of Industry, Government of Canada, visited Aga Khan University (AKU) on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by Margaret Huber, High Commissioner for Canada to Pakistan, Raymond Simard, Member of Parliament, and other senior Canadian government delegates.

In Chitral, Mowlana Hazar imam gave 2 didars, one in Gharam Chasma in the morning and one in Booni at noon on 4th of December.
On the road from Chitral, several arches were raised with colorful decorations, My Flags and words of 'Welcome Aga Khan' or 'Welcome Mowlana Hazar Imam' and 'Didar Mubarak'

Young Volunteers were standing near some of those Arches with tea and apples for the people arriving for Didar. As we said no for tea, they insisted to offer us 4 apples in a plate, which we could not refuse

The federal government is learnt to have allowed Aga Khan University to establish its own board of intermediate and secondary education, first-ever in the private sector in the country.
The decision to allow such a board in the private sector was taken on the recommendations of an expert committee, constituted by Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman, during his tenure as a federal minister. The committee comprises representatives of public sector boards of education and principals of various colleges.

The Aga Khan University is establishing a faculty of arts and sciences on a new 550-acre campus in the outskirts of Karachi. This was stated by Dr Shams Kassim Lakaha, President Aga Khan University, during a meeting with Riaz Ahmed Tata, President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) the other day. He informed that the university, which is operating a medical college, school of nursing, teaching hospital and institute for educational development, also recently established an institute for the study of Muslim civilisation in London.

Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakil Kazi has stressed upon the need for eradicating duality in the country's education system, which ultimately translates into inequality, poverty, and limitation of opportunities.
Addressing a seminar organised by the Centre of English Language (CEL) of Aga Khan University with the theme, 'English and Higher Education: Future Directions' Kazi pointed out that the rapid spread of English language as a means for global communication was becoming a necessity and the government fully realised the challenge.

Aga Khan University, which is operating 11 campuses in six countries on three continents, is establishing a Faculty of Arts and Sciences on a new 550 acre campus on the outskirts of Karachi.
This was stated by Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, H.I., S.I, President, Aga Khan University, during a meeting with Riaz Ahmed Tata, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry at Federation House on 6 October 2003.

More than a thousand people attended a fund-raising event on Saturday night at which hundreds of thousands of rupees were raised for poor patients.
Anwar Maqsood and Tina Sani performed at the event which was organized by the Resource Development Committee of the Aga Khan University.

The chairman of the committee, Dr Gaffar Billoo, on the occasion said it had raised Rs14 million since its inception two years ago. 'Out of this amount Rs7 million was raised in 2002 alone,' he said.

There is a Jamat khana in karachi called Ranchorline Jamat khana its in
Ranchorline and ex Mukhi saheb and Mukhiani saheba was on their seat
continous for more than 20 yrs.