University Of Karachi: From Humble Beginnings To a Leading Educational Institution
— July 24, 2024
KARACHI (AIA) Established in 1951, the University of Karachi (UoK) is the largest and one of the most prestigious universities in Pakistan. Located in the vibrant city of Karachi, the university has a rich history of academic excellence, innovation, and research. With firm determination, UoK has become a hub for students, scholars, and researchers from around the world.
Karachi University offers a wide variety of academic programmes in various disciplines, from undergraduate to postgraduate. However, many students studying there do not know anything about the university’s founders.
In 1947, when Pir Elahi Bakhsh founded the University of Sindh in Karachi, he appointed Professor Abu Bakar Ahmad Haleem as the vice chancellor. From 1947 to 1951, Prof. Haleem served as the first Vice Chancellor of Sindh University. Later, when the University of Sindh moved to Hyderabad (Jamshoro), another university was established in Karachi, known as the University of Karachi.
In the beginning, Prof. Haleem used his house as an office for several months. The printing work was carried out partly on loan and partly in cash. The typewriter was rented monthly. This is how Karachi University started its journey towards excellence, building on the hard work and commitment of its founders.
Seeing the present-day progress and magnificence, it is hard to imagine the difficulties this institute went through in the past. Prof. Haleem continued to improve the institute despite the adverse conditions. During this period, eminent researchers and education experts from the Indian subcontinent, Europe, and America were appointed within the university.
He remained Vice Chancellor (Sheikh-ul-Jamiya) of Karachi University from 1951 to 1957, working tirelessly to improve the university. Prof. Haleem was also the chairman of the Council of the Institute of International Affairs and represented Pakistan at the first Islamic Conference in 1949.
Prof. Haleem was born on March 1, 1897, in Bihar. After matriculation, he went to England for further education, graduating from Cambridge University and earning a bar-at-law in London. He started his career in history and political science, eventually becoming the president of the department and later pro-vice chancellor. The British Government established a board for all universities in India, and he served as the chairman of the Inter-University Board of India from 1942 to 1943.
The University of Karachi remains a leading research institution in Pakistan, focusing on innovation and discovery. University research centres and institutions engage in advanced research in various fields. The university has a vibrant campus life, with numerous extracurricular activities, clubs, and societies. Students can participate in sports, cultural events, and community service programmes that help develop leadership skills, teamwork, and social responsibility.
The university has state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure, including modern classrooms and lecture halls, well-equipped laboratories and research centres, libraries, digital libraries and information resources, sports facilities and gymnasiums, hostels, and staff towns.
Karachi University graduates, who have rendered outstanding services in various fields, are serving all over the world. Pakistan’s eminent educationalists have served as vice chancellors at the University of Karachi. Currently, Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood Iraqi is serving as vice chancellor, known as both an academician and a good administrator.
The University of Karachi continues to be a leading institution of higher education in Pakistan, offering a transformational educational experience that empowers students to reach their full potential. With its strong commitment to academic excellence, research, and innovation, the university is a ray of hope for a brighter future.