Condolence reference held for Prof. Nisar Ahmed Siddique.

ISLAMABAD -- A special online condolence reference was held for late Prof Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui, a renowned educationist and founder Vice Chancellor of Sukkur Institute of Business Administration (IBA) who passed away on June 22, 2020. He was a former senior civil servant with Master's from Boston USA.

Dr. Fateh Marri, Executive Director HEC, conducted the session. Among many other scholars, it was also attended by Dr. Ishrat Husain, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms and Austerity, Tariq Banuri, Chairman HEC, Ms. Naheed Durrani, Federal Secretary Climate Change, Mr. Fazalullah Qureshi, former Federal Secretary, Dr. A. Q. Mughal, former Chairman UGC, ED HEC and others.

Prof. Nisar Siddiqui, who was also a Member of the HEC's governing body as representative of the Government of Sindh, became the Director of Sukkur Institute of Business Administration in 2004, after gaining wide experience in management, administration and academia at national and international levels. Later he became, founder VC of Sukkur IBA University which is now considered among leading institutions of higher learning in Pakistan.

In his remarks, Dr. Ishrat Husain said that the best way to remember Prof. Siddiqui is to sustain and improve his institution. 'His personality was all about leadership, integrity, compassion and commitment, so his successor will have to keep these things in mind and to be strictly followed if the institution has to move forward as Prof. Siddiqui envisioned.' Dr. Ishrat said that if the team at Sukkur IBA is not motivated, it will disperse. He emphasized that this is not a 9 to 5 job, it needs commitment and real leadership. He said that now employers, while hiring, do not differentiate between IBA Karachi and Sukkur

Chairman HEC Tariq Banuri said that Mr. Siddiqui was one of the most respected academic leaders in the country who had developed and introduced new approaches into education, enhanced the standard of service to society, and transformed a nascent institute to a leading national university. He assured that every possible effort will be made to continue Prof. Siddiqui's legacy.

Naheed Shah Durrani, Federal Secretary, Climate Change Division said that filling the void created by departure of Prof. Siddiqui was a big challenge. While praying for his family, faculty, staff and students, she said that Prof. Siddiqui was Sir Syed of his time. "He was an amazing human being, a teacher, an effective team manager, a doer...