Meetings and reports

Getting 71st together was quite a feat and I am proud to have done. Everybody who came made a great effort to reach, specially Tariq Jamil from USA and Zafar Mahmood from Saudi Arabia, Hasnain and Aliuddin from Karachi, Aslam Masood, Aamir Habib and Nasir Qadir from Lahore, Irfan Illahi from DI Khan, Attaullah from Peshawar, Kamran Masood from Abbottabad, Azhar Ali from Sialkot and the rest from all over. Aslam had a car breakdown in Jhelum and Irfan got stuck in a traffic jam near Mianwali so they were late in reaching. Khalid Asharaf and Nasir Kamal were a surprise as no one was expecting them. Nasir has gray hair and is still a bachelor. Every body behaved very maturely and there was no leg pulling -surprising! Rauf was very decent with Aslam Masood. Few of us had brought some old photos so it was quite nostalgic.
Many faces have not changed since but few were pretty different like Zafar Mahmod has put on weight, Hasnain has lost his hair and put on weight. Rizwan has prominent tummy and gray hair, Lodhi is the same with some gray hair. Azam is the same in all respects. Maqbool has specs and little better on his complexion. Kamran Masood has a beard and has improved a bit. Rauf, hair gone but still very agile, Zafarullah little weight and same late understanding problem. Attaullah looks older; imagine, he is Professor of Physics. Azhar Ali is exactly the same no change. Nadeem Malik terribly over weight and less hair. Tariq Jamil smarter than before with little more weight. Aqil is almost the same. Irfan Illahi same (with dyed hair). Dogar still trying to improve his English. Gohar Saeed still gliding. Israr has lost the glamour. Shaheen has lost his precious hair and may be something else too. Aliuddin is fit and smart but that shine has diminished. Aamir Habib little weight and that innocence is gone. Akram TT is same, hyper and active with dyed hair. I think that should be enough for the description of the characters.
To add colour to occasion we had the PAF band in play. After the sumptuous dinner arranged by Rauf, we all sat and prayed for Shaheen Nawaz and Sajjad Paracha. Than I gave a brief account of everybody (pak no wise).
We decided to have our next get-together in 2001 with our families. We all signed a resolution to keep in touch with each other, help each other in whatever capacity we can. I had made a remarks book in which we all wrote our feelings for the day. Later we cut a reunion cake, in short we all enjoyed the evening and had a great time.

Mohyuddin

Click here to see the photographs.

Progress Report on Islamabad Teacher Training Institute

1. On the approval of the Board of Trustees a small team was setup to handle the affairs of ITTI in May 2000. The team members have been working within the approved budget to achieve the aims and objectives set before them. The team consists of the following;
Air Cdre Tassawar Elahi Piracha (Retd) (97-T) Chief Executive
Col. Zakaullah Khan (Retd.)(T-68) Executive
Air Cdre. Ershad Ahsan (Retd)(411-T) Executive
Mr.S.M.Anas (115-A) Paid Secretary
Wing Cdre M Anwar Hamid (Retd)(742-F) Recently Selected by the Committee as an executive

2. For the information of the Sargodhians this report has been prepared to highlight the performance of the ITTI so far. We need to draw the attention of each Sargodhian to ponder about the ways in which they can contribute to develop this project further. Please give it a serious thought and come forward with the ideas and help to make this project achieve the aim of the Sargodhian Spirit Trust that is to pay back the nation in kind a part of what the nation has given to the Sargodhians in the development of their personalities and careers.

Computer Wing
3. The Computer Wing of ITTI is at present equipped with 12 PCs. In about one year time we have been able to train about 800 students on different courses. Financially it is barely breaking even. The prevalent market rates allow us to break even at around 10 students per course but then we have capacity for only 12 students.

4. We are an approved institute of COMSAT for imparting computer training to the jobless students having intermediate qualification. Recently COMSAT has raised the requirement of computers for approved institutions to 20, which makes us ineligible. Therefore ITTI needs to expand by adding another 8 PCs to meet the requirement of becoming eligible for participating in the Government's Computer Literacy Programme. This is an opportunity to improve our Computer Wing to become viable and therefore the Sargodhians must come up with monetary support to buy new computers or donate them.

5. We can gather a team of software experts and also get support from Aman Bhai's software company, Saigol Computers Ltd. We can thus generate funds if we are able to get orders to develop software from the local or international market. Sargodhians network all over the world can assist us in obtaining software development orders or to get their own jobs done through us at much cheaper rate. Any Sargodhian who wishes to help will be doing a great service to the Sargodhian Spirit Trust.

Teacher Training Workshop
6. Mrs. Yasmin Ehsan a senior executive of UNICEF (wife of a Sargodhian Major Ehsan) is the pioneer in developing a 3 day Teacher Training Workshop. She is supported by Mrs. Nabila Elahi a British National of Syrian origin and Sadaf Syed (a coordinating officer) have conducted two work shops and the third one will be held in mid November 2000. This is a motivational course for the in service teachers of public and private schools. One workshop accommodates 25-30 teachers. If the inservice teachers attend this workshop, it will make them aware of their shortcomings and increase their motivation and commitment to their profession. The workshop brings a great change among the teachers especially in their attitude and they go back feeling proud of being a teacher. This is our success. We hope to continue the good work. In the last two workshops we did not incur any loss rather we made marginal profit. It is a very low cost course. Our charges are Rs.1000/ teacher for the 3days, including cost of hiring premises, equipment, payment to visiting faculty, lunch and refreshments. If we can get philanthropists/companies to sponsor the workshop, it can help develop the teachers community who are the builders of the nation but can't afford to pay. There are motivated well-off Sargodhians who could either come up to sponsor a workshop or use their influence to get other friends and organizations to help us. Let us hope many of us would rise to support the good cause.

One month Functional English Language Course
7. We have conducted two courses so far with great success. Mostly students from financial institutions participated. Support was provided by SBFC / RDFC and by Major General Ehsan who sent the students. Some private students also benefited. No loss, rather a marginal profit was made. The course has now been developed. It is a one month course and the fee is Rs.1200/ student. Sargodhians living in Islamabad and Rawalpindi can do marketing on our behalf. This will help the institution and benefit the people.

Public School Tando Allah Yar Project
8. Basically it is a project of Rashid Welfare Organization to establish a huge school with a capacity of 2700 children at Tando Allah Yar 30 km from Hydrabad (Sind) A Sargodhian late Flg Off Rashid Hussain died in an air crash and his father Air Commodore Shabbir Hussain, in memory of Rashid has established a welfare Trust known as "Rashid Welfare Trust". Air Commodore Shabbir is a selfless and determined person. He has offered the Sargodhian US$ 50,000/-and a plot of about 38 acres of land free of cost at the said place. He has also offered us the option to name the school.

9. Karachi chapter is willing to take on responsibilities in development and operational matters. The matter has been taken up by our board of Trustee to decide whether to participate in the project or not. Since a few members were away, we are holding the meeting by Mid November 2000 instead of Mid September.

10. Quite a few Sargodhians have sent their views but we want a larger number to give their response. Kindly pay attention to this project and let us know your views on our e-mail (eac@apollo.net.pk) or a letter to our office address (H.No.309 Ravi Road G-8/2 Islamabad).

Swat Project Polly Trade School of OPF Swat
11. I personally visited, met the principal and inspected the area ---- classrooms and other facilities. The approach is poor and it requires heavy investment i.e. around Rs.5 to 6 million initially along with a working capital of the same amount. It does not suit our requirement.

School System Lahore
12. We had requested Lahore Chapter to make a study but we have not received any response yet. They are very busy and hopefully they would attend to it soon.

Miscellaneous
13. The position explained above is adequate for you to comprehend the progress made so far in our training programmes. We request all of you to kindly pay attention towards building a name for the Sargodhians. It is not only the financial support that is required, Sargodhians must contribute in every way they can to achieve the vision and objectives of the Sargodhian Spirit Trust. We hope all of you will give support in whatever way you deem fit.

14. A Word of Thanks. We take this opportunity to thank Air Marshal Shahid Zulfiqar (Retd) (301-A) Kaiser Nasim (783-A) M.D. SBFC and Shujaat Azim (695-F) M.D. Apollo on Line Islamabad for the financial assistance they are providing. I wish and pray for their good health and progressive life. We are enclosing the as on date position of the contributions and the pledges made by Sargodhians during the March 1999 Convention at the School.

15. Dinner. Dinner in honour of the Patron In-Chief Air Chief Marshal Parvaiz Mehdi Qureshi. You are invited to attend in this special dinner with our patron in chief who has very kindly consented to be with you before retiring from the P.A.F. This dinner is being held at the PAF Officers Mess Opposite to PAF Golf Club E-9 Islamabad on Friday November 3rd 2000 at 8.p.m The Chief Guest will arrive at 8:30 p.m. Dress will be National/lounge. Contribution will be Rs.300 for individual. For further information and confirmation please contact our office on Tele No: 2282424 and 2852452. E-mail: eac@apollo.net.pk

16. Meeting. The Chairman Board of Trustees has requested the Executive Members of the Trust to kindly attend a meeting to be held at the head office on Sunday the 12th November 20000 at 1100 hrs. The agenda is :-
(a) To review the performance of ITTI.
(a) To decide the future of ITTI and its future budget.
(b) To review the projects i.e. Tando Allah Yar Public School, Poly Trade School Swat and Ali School System Lahore.

With best wishes
S.M.Anas
Secretary
30th October 2000