Honored Members of the Trust and Respected Guests Asalamoaleikum.

I would like to take this opportunity and briefly familiarize our selves with the Quaid-e-Taleem Late Mr. A. M. Qureshi.  I would like to shed light on why the Islamic Education Trust was formed and what its purpose is.

Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi was born to a poor family in Rajhkot, Kathiavar, India, in 1918.  He wanted desperately to study and obtain formal education, but his family could not afford it.  However, Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi was a very self-motivated man and he did educate himself up to the Metric level once he found an opportunity to do so.  By having undergone great hardships himself he promised that he would make the education of young people the driving force of his life’s motivation and mission.

In establishing himself, Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi went from Rajhkot to Africa, back to Rajkhot, then onto Burma and from there he finally settled in Karachi.  He was busy establishing himself as a businessman and a politician.  Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi was involved with the Muslim League and he made significant contributions to the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.  He stood side by side with Quaid-e-Azam Mr.Muhammad Ali Jinnah, offering himself and his services without hesitation. Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi held the posts of M.N.A. and M.P.A. among other dignified and worthy positions.  Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi also served as the first President of the Karachi Muslim League.

After the independence of Pakistan one of the greatest problems faced by the people of Pakistan, besides food and shelter, was education.  There were only a few colleges in Karachi and the majority of teachers were Hindus that had migrated to India.  Karachi was the former capital of Pakistan and millions of refugees came to this city, including students.  The educational structure of Karachi had collapsed and students were not able to get admissions.  Realizing the great need to groom an educated and talented workforce to lead Pakistan to prosperity, Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi took great steps to educate and empower the Pakistani young men, women and children. 

With great determination and tremendous foresight, Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi laid the foundation for the Islamic Education Trust.  It was conceived under the dynamic inspiration of Allama Shabbir Ahmed Usmani. 

Islamia College had humble beginnings.  It began in a building gifted by Mrs. Kulsoom Qureshi, wife of the Founder of Islamic Education Trust.  The gigantic Islamia College building that we see today, with over 300 rooms, is the result of 15 years of sweat and hard work.  On 25^th August 1961, President of Pakistan Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan laid the foundation for the Islamia Law college. Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi was greatly praised by Field Marshal Ayub Khan for his selfless services in the field of education.  In his speech on this occasion, Field Marshal Ayub Khan had this to say about Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A.M. Qureshi:

“[A.M. Qureshi’s] spirit of sacrifice, his honesty of purpose and his patriotism made a very deep impression on my heart.  Then today when I saw that this man has done such a great thing for the children of the nation with his own hard-earned money, I was convinced that he is a patriot in the true sense of the word.  I pray to God that more men like him be born in our country.  And I am sure that, God willing, they will be born.”

At one time Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi had 17 schools and colleges under his administration. Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A. M. Qureshi also opened Qureshi Night College, and this night college was the first in Karachi to bring quality education within easy reach of the employee-students who had to carry on academic pursuits even while working during the day.  Over a span of 25 years from 1948 to 1972, more than 200,000 students graduates as, M.A.s, M.Scs., B.As., B.Scs., M. Coms., B. Coms, and LLBs.  Now these students are working in the Provincial Governments, and Government of Pakistan Government departments, Private enterprises and also outside of Pakistan, throughout the world.

Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A.M. Qureshi has granted countless freeships to students who could not afford to pay for their fees.  This was one of the main purposes in organizing the Islamic Education Trust. Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. Qureshi’s goal was to educate those that had nowhere else to go.  He took C grade students and graduated them as A students.  On a very personal note, I myself have come across many many people who tell me how my grandfather helped them in achieving their educational goals.

Islamia College is a testimony of the strength, energy and missionary spirit of a person who could not, due to circumstances beyond his control, get formal education. Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A.M. Qureshi fulfilled his suppressed desire by creating a fountain of knowledge available to all.  In his lifetime Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. Qureshi spent not less than 50 million rupees for the advancement of education and the advancement of students.

My grandfather Quaid-e-Taleem Mr. A.M Qureshi passed away on 22nd June, 1989 (17th Zeeqa'at A.H.).  He is no longer with us but his mission, his vision and his hopes and dreams are still alive in the form of the Islamic Education Trust.  My late grandfather’s great motto for the Islamic Education Trust is “Knowledge is power.”  Please let us work together and work hard in order to keep this great mission alive.

Speech presented by:    Syed Kamran Hussain, Founder-President of the Islamic Organisation of Hofstra University, New York, U.S.A., grandson of Quaid-e-Taleem Late Mr. A.M. Qureshi, Founder-President of the Islamic Education Trust (Regd.), son of Syed Muzakkir Hussain, Founder Terminal Operators of Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Karachi, Pakistan.

Post:                              General Secretary of Islamic Education Trust (Regd.) In 1958.

Dated:                            21^st November, 2004.

Place:                             Kamran House, 34/A-2, Lalazar Drive, M.T.Khan Road, Karachi.

Tel:                                 9221-5610277/5610429

Fax:                                9221-5610763/5611591