The Institute of Business Administration, Karachi held a very prestigious event, the IBA Alumni Reunion in Islamabad on Friday, September 22, 2017 at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, in collaboration with the IBA Alumni Society and the IBA Alumni Chapter of Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Raza Chinoy.
With approximately 300 esteemed guests in attendance (a number of guests had flown in from Karachi and Lahore), the event included the Institute’s alumni and eminent personalities contributing extensively to the corporate world. The reunion began with a recitation from the Holy Quran followed by addresses by the Dean & Director IBA, Dr. Farrukh Iqbal, and Alumni Representative on the Board of Governors, Mr. Shahid Shafiq. Honorable Guests who attended the event were the Chief Guest, His Excellency Mr. Mamnoon Hussain, the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and HE Mr. Muhammad Zubair, the Governor of Sindh.
The aim of this event was to strengthen the connection between the IBA, Karachi and its alumni. With the IBA Alumni spread all over the world, it is important to maintain the bond of the alumni with their alma mater.
Welcoming the guests, the Dean & Director IBA, Dr. Farrukh Iqbal said that IBA has diversified and it now offers a myriad of programs including Accounting & Finance and Liberal Arts.
Addressing the audience, Mr. Mamnoon Hussain, the President of Pakistan said, ‘Believe in yourself, even if you’re alone. Be humble and give back to your society and ultimately believe in the Almighty, as one can’t achieve anything in life without Allah’s will.’
President Mamnoon Hussain also urged the higher educational institutions to focus on applied research to achieve real prosperity through education. The President further said that the standard of higher education has improved in Pakistan as previously the country had very few quality institutes like IBA but now they have increased. He added that the potential of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) could be tapped through research.
Expressing his devotion towards his alma mater, HE Mr. Muhammad Zubair, the Governor of Sindh said, ‘I feel immense pride in being an IBA alumnus and it is heartening to see so many IBA alumni at top positions around the globe.’ During the speeches, the President of Pakistan and Governor Sindh specifically mentioned and appreciated IBA for its state of the art facilities, excellent faculty members and confident students.
The evening culminated with a dinner hosted by the President. The guests were also given an opportunity to interact with the President on a one-on-one basis. Souvenirs were also presented to the President and Governor Sindh by the Dean & Director IBA, Dr. Farrukh Iqbal.