Eminent engineers conferred IEP Lifetime Achievement awards

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

In accordance with its traditions, the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) celebrated the Engineers Day in a befitting manner and recognized some of the eminent engineers of the country. 

The IEP organized the Engineers Day 2019 ceremony at the NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, on June 29 and the auditorium was packed to capacity as 20 engineers, having distinguished themselves in different vocations were conferred Lifetime Achievement awards. 

The accomplishments of the award winners, picked by a jury headed by Engr Prof Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, Vice Chancellor, NED University, were narrated loudly and clapped generously as they reached the podium to receive the shields. 

Those conferred IEP Lifetime Achievement awards on the occasion included Engr Syed Raza Akhlaq, Engr Amir Farooq, Engr Muhammad Saleem Raza, Engr Syed Salahuddin Ahmed, Engr Neelofar Hameed, Engr Asif Rizvi, Engr Salman Ansari, Engr Abdul Rauf Tabani, Chairman, Engr Taufiq Bilwani, Engr Muhammad Khan Minhas, Engr Syed Khalid Mahmood, Engr Muhammad Ali Shehaki and Engr Farhat Ishtiaq.

The presentation party on the stage included Engr Sohail Bashir, Chairman, IEP, Engr Prof Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, Vice Chancellor, NED University, Engr Syed Jamshed Rizvi, Senior Vice Chairman, Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and Engr Muhammad Shafique, Vice Chairman, PEC. 

In his welcome address, Engr Sohail Bashir, Chairman, IEP, recalled that the Institution was established on May 7, 1948 at Chittagong, the then East Pakistan with the blessings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

“Every year we celebrate the founding day as Engineers Day throughout Pakistan. Presently our headquarters is located in Lahore. We have more then 50,000 members in 11 centres including one in Saudi Arabia. We also have a very active sub-center in Bahrain and a new sub-center at USA-Tri States comprising of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,” he informed. 

“The IEP caters for all disciplines of engineering and it represents Pakistan in the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), Federation of Engineering Institutions of Islamic Countries (FEIIC), Federation of Engineering Institutions of South and Central Asia (FEISCA), Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC) and Commonwealth Engineering Council (CWC). We also have collaboration agreements with more then 40 engineering institutions around the world,” the IEP Chairman added. 

“Engineers are the catalyst of change and engineering does provide a noticeable physical change in the surroundings of the society through manifestation of improved industry and national assets which are developed and maintained to satisfactory working condition to the benefit of the society,” he remarked. 

“I take this opportunity to emphasis that self-reliance should be the corner stone in all scheme of works. The Institution is more than willing to advise the government on all relevant aspects for the optimal utilization of local human and material resources in the national projects,” Engr Sohail Bashir declared. 

Engr Prof Dr Sarosh Hashmat Lodi, Vice Chancellor, NED University, also delivered a thought-provoking speech on the occasion, in which he advised the policymakers to seek input from the engineers in particular for working out solution to the economic issues confronting the country. 

“The engineers have spearheaded the turnaround in many countries. They can do the same in our country if pressed into service. Time and again the engineers have delivered as they primarily happen to be trouble shooters,” he reckoned. 

Paying tribute to the galaxy of engineering luminaries, who were recognized at the night, the Vice Chancellor of the NED University looked forward to continue producing many more stalwarts from engineering institutions in future.