An event was held at the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (Flagstaff House) to honour Lt. Gen. Humayun Aziz for his efforts and contribution in establishing the Institute of Nation Building (INB) Quaid-e-Azam House Museum Karachi. Among the distinguished guests present at the occasion were Mr. Murad Ali Shah Chief Minister of Sindh and great grandnephew of the Quaid-e-Azam Mr. Liaqat Merchant.
Commodore Sadeed Malik, Secretary General of INB, who was the moderator, in his introductory remarks expressed confidence that the Institution of Nation Building will be a beacon of light for imparting knowledge to the youth in an era where corruption and social evils have taken root. He informed that an audio/visual centre, a state of the art auditorium and a library with Quaid-e-Azam’s name shall be established at INB. INB will also hold meetings addressing the younger generation of Pakistanis which will be televised live globally,
Mr. Liaquat Merchant, Quaid-e-Azam’s great grandnephew and senior Vice President, INB, thanked Lt. Gen. Humayun Aziz for taking on the responsibility of establishing the Institute of Nation Building. He thanked Mr. Ikram Sehgal and Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Mr. Murad Ali Shah for their role in the development of the institute; without whom he said, this venture would not have been possible. He apprised the participants of the plans that the Institute of Nation Building aims to achieve which include inviting students from all over Pakistan for holding declamation and debating contests developing leadership capacity among the younger generation and raising awareness amongst youth about what Pakistan is about. He said that the purpose of the INB also is to inculcate in the younger generation a sense of responsibility and the development of leadership according to the role model we have in Mr. Jinnah who was the embodiment of grace, honor and integrity.
Lt. Gen. Humayun Aziz, the guest of honor on the occasion, in his address stated that it is a matter of pride and honor for him to be present at the event. He expressed regret that his generation had been unable to pass on the lessons and morals taught by their parents generation which had created Pakistan. Over time, he said the spirit of being a Pakistani and our history were obfuscated. He explained that conventional modes of human interaction and transfer of information are changing and the world is fast shifting towards digitization and that there is a need to engage with the younger generation through the mediums they feel most comfortable with which include: video, pictures, talks and oral histories instead of just textual information. He added that there was no better place to take up this initiative than the very house where Quaid-e-Azam lived. He expressed hope that with the continued support of the government of Sindh, the Institute of Nation Building will serve its purpose and the Institute will not only be a relic of our past but also a beacon for our future.
CM Sindh Mr. Murad Ali Shah appreciated the efforts of Lt. Gen. Humayun Aziz for establishment of the Nation Building Institute and expressed satisfaction that the initiative was in the hands of passionate people. He assured that the government of Sindh would readily help INB with financial, legal, or administrative issues and will fulfil its commitments. He said that all we need to do is to follow the teachings and vision of M. Ali Jinnah, the founder of our nation. He stated that INB will play a pivotal role in imparting knowledge to the next generation of leaders in Pakistan. Vice Chairman of INB and Chairman KCFR (Karachi Council on Foreign Relations) Mr. Ikram Sehgal in his concluding remarks underscored that problem-solving needs passion and teamwork. He acknowledged the passion and dedication of Lt. Gen. Humayun Aziz to make the Institute of Nation Building a reality. While expressing his gratitude to Mr. Murad Ali Shah, he commented that he is the finest Chief Minister Sindh has ever had. Mr. Ikram Sehgal called on the Chief Minister for his help in sorting out bureaucratic technicalities that impede matters in the course of this initiative. At the end, he appreciated the efforts of Lt. Gen. Humayun Aziz for his unrelenting efforts and thanked all the participants.