The Oxford & Cambridge Society Karachi, Educational Trust (OCSKET) was formed by
the Oxford & Cambridge Society Karachi with a view to promoting education through free
scholarship. The Society has opened membership free of cost to all those living in Pakistan or
abroad who have attended either Oxford or Cambridge University. Due to inactivity of the
Society, the Trust is also performing the functions of the Society. The Alumni currently
comprises circa 110 members.
In the past, the annual Oxbridge Blues Ball was organized to raise funds for granting
scholarships to students on the basis of both merit and established financial need. The Trust
interviews and recommends a number of students for universities in Pakistan and to Oxford &
Cambridge Universities. Selected scholars are awarded scholarships by the Trustees to centers of
high academic excellence.
The other objectives are:
a) To provide a social forum where alumni of the Oxford and Cambridge Universities could meet
interact, and raise funds for the trust.
b) To maintain under all circumstances our ties with our Alma Mater particularly at the
undergraduate level, by providing scholarships, part/scholarships to suitably qualified entrants
to
both universities.
c) To avoid implications of elitism by also funding scholarships at local universities for
persons
aspiring to a higher level of education.
The paramount consideration for award of scholarships is clearly established and demonstrated
financial need. Currently 39 students at NED and 2 at Oxbridge are funded by the Trust.
The Annual Blues’ Ball has been the traditional OCSKET fundraiser event, being held at Acton
House,
Runnymede with the kind cooperation of the British Deputy High Commission. Unfortunately, this
annual event has not been held for the past several years due to Covid-19 as well as the
inactivity
of the society.
The OCSKET is currently certified by FBR as a NPO and the accounts are audited annually.
OCSKET has had a long association with Noon Foundation in England, in
financing one scholarship a year for most years over the last 15 years whereas in comparison
neither
Lahore nor Islamabad alumni financed a single scholar. Students proceeding to Oxford or
Cambridge
are subsidized, in collaboration with the Noon, Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, and associated
trusts.
OCSKET has funded 18 scholars to date at Oxford and Cambridge.
Apart from this, OCSKET also provide scholarships to students at local institutions namely NED
and
IBA. We have funded over 550 students to date.
# | Academic Year | No. of Students | Total Amount (Rs.) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 2012 | 28 | 700,000 |
2 | 2013 | 24 | 600,000 |
3 | 2014 | 31 | 775,000 |
4 | 2015 | 44 | 132,000 |
5 | 2016 | 55 | 1,650,000 |
6 | 2017 | 73 | 2,200,000 |
7 | 2018 | 59 | 1,770,000 |
8 | 2019 | 45 | 1,350,000 |
9 | 2020 | 32 | 960,000 |
10 | 2021 | 32 | 960,000 |
11 | 2022 | 50 | 1,500,000 |
12 | 2023 | 78 | 2,310,000 |
Total | 551 | 16,095,000 |
OCSKET believes high level of education is a necessary condition for economic growth and no country can make significant economic progress if majority of its citizens are illiterate. Without education and the right type of education, we cannot overcome extremism and poverty prevailing in Pakistani society. If we are to make real, speedy and substantial progress, we must earnestly tackle this issue with regard to the modern conditions and vast developments that have taken place all over the world.
The NED University of Engineering and Technology is the oldest institution in
Pakistan for teaching
and training Graduate Engineers. It was started in 1922 as an Engineering College to provide
Civil
Engineers for what at that time was the Sindh Division of the Bombay presidency in India. That
college now is the city campus of this university and is one of the heritage structures of
Karachi;
it now accommodates the Architecture Department of this University. When the NED College was
first
established, it was affiliated to the University of Bombay. After partition of the subcontinent
in
1947, the land on which the college stood, having been taken over by the Provincial Education
Department, the College itself was managed by its Board of Governors until it was nationalized
in
1972. Thereafter, the College was shifted to the location now occupied by the Main Campus,
developed
with World Bank funding and eventually elevated to university status on 1st March 1977.
1. A. The Main Campus to which the college was shifted in 1972 is on University Road adjacent to
the
University of Karachi. The College was raised to university status in 1977 – starting at that
time
with three Engineering Disciplines. The University however now offers undergraduate programmes
in 19
(nineteen ) disciplines including Architecture at the City Campus and two disciplines in the
bio-medical Engineering Department located in the LEJ Campus virtually donated to the university
in
2004. The University now also offers postgraduate programmes in all its disciplines as well as
one
in Environmental Engineering which is not included amongst undergraduate degree programmes – all
its
degrees have international recognition.
B. The university has its own Digital Library and is also its own Internet Service Provider.
Under
the Development Programme being funded by the Higher Education Commission not only are more new
Engineering disciplines being introduced but the entire infrastructure of this university is
being
expanded and strengthened.
C. The NED University did not make the mistake of going in from the very beginning exclusively
for
research and production of Doctorate Degrees despite pressures from the Higher Education
Commission.
It concentrated first on production of first class graduate engineers who could be absorbed by
industries, public utilities and all other concerns employing engineers. Thereafter it
concentrated
on offering several Master’s level Postgraduate Degree programmes; the arrangements made
included
provision for working graduate engineers to improve their qualifications by attending evening
classes.
2. The University has now four fully formed Faculties Civil
Engineering and
Architecture, Mechanical
and Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering along with Information,
Sciences
and Humanities plus the fifth Faculty of Chemical, Metallurgical and Process Engineering now
under
formation. Within this framework, undergraduate programmes are offered in nineteen disciplines
on
regular basis along with one other only in Conversion Course in Marine Engineering for
individuals
holding Mercantile Marine Chief Engineer’s tickets.
3. At the next stage, Postgraduate Masters’ level programmes are also offered ten (10) in
Engineering along with one each in Computer Science and in Architecture and Planning. These
Master
level Degree programmes are offered mostly in the evenings because by far the majority of
individuals seeking admission to these programmes are employed and can attend classes only in
evening. The University also has its Doctorate Degree programme which at present is restricted
only
for Faculty Development but would be opened to outside Research Scholars within about two years
– in
all probably from July 2011.
4. Faculty Members in this University are encouraged to devote as much time as possible to
Research
without however in any way affecting their responsibilities for teaching undergraduates which
has to
be their primary responsibility. This University now publishes its Half Yearly Research Journal.
5. The University has also recently begun addressing all its Alumni both in Pakistan and abroad.
The
University wants only ‘good will’ from its Alumni; until recently it was not able to establish
proper contacts but this deficiency is also now being remedied/rectified.
6. The University also attaches great importance to Student Facilities including Co-Curricular
as
well as Sports and Games besides Industrial Liaison. It encourages all legitimate student
activities
but does not permit any political religious or ethnic activity within the Campuses.
The IBA was established in 1995 as a USAID - Government of Pakistan project, Initially the Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania, provided the technical support; later the University of Southern California got the contract. Both the contractors helped set up the first modem business school in the sub-continent out of North America. Several prominent American professors were assigned to the IBA. A large number of Pakistani faculty members received advanced degrees from Wharton and USC. Till 1994, the University of Karachi awarded degrees to IBA graduates and then in that year, the Sindh Assembly elevated the Institute's status to that of a degree-awarding institution. Inspite of a rapid increase in the number of business schools in the country, the IBA has maintained its position as the premier institution of higher learning in the field of business administration.
The vision of IBA is to become a world-class business school for
leadership and
innovation in
management and be counted among the top 50 business schools in Asia. For this, the IBA
administration upholds and promotes the core values of merit, truth, integrity, creativity,
discipline and tolerance amongst its faculty, students and administrative staff.
The administration of IBA tries to ensure that no meritorious student be deprived of studying at
IBA
due to his/her financial constraints.
Distinguishing features of the IBA are the induction of students though a systematic and
merit-based
admission process, training in a demanding academic environment, and on-time completion of study
programs. Admission procedures, curricula, methods of instruction and the system of examinations
at
the IBA give it a unique position among leading educational institutions in Pakistan.
The OCSKET alumni get-together took place on October 21, 2023, marking nearly
four
years since the last gathering. Mr. Mohammed Rajpar, Chairman of OCSKET, graciously hosted the
event, joined by the esteemed presence of British Deputy High Commissioner Ms. Sarah Mooney.
Among the attendees, special recognition was given to Mrs. Erum Rahim, the oldest alumna and the
first Pakistani woman to have attended Cambridge University.
The Trustees were keen to meet with the Alumni in order to update the Trust’s activities. Mr.
Mohammed Rajpar recalled the Society had set up the Trust with one of the principal aims being
to keep a philanthropic link with Oxbridge which has been done on a regular basis with the Trust
donating a small annual amount to those scholars who have gained entry. He further stated since
the Society is moribund no new fundraising activities have occurred since several years so
either it is time to reignite the Society or ask the Trust to perform those functions by
creating a subset of Alumni to pursue such affairs.
Mr. Mohammed Rajpar requested Trustee Mr. Bilal Ahmed to brief
regarding the
current state of the
Trust’s financial affairs.
Mr. Bilal Ahmed stated the Trustees are focusing to ensure the corpus of funds that the Trust
possesses is deployed in the highest return generating assets however, with the devaluing
currency the ability to fund scholarships, especially for international education, is severely
limited hence the Trustees are focusing on developing a high impact with the donations.
He
informed currently, 39 students at NED and 2 at Oxbridge are funded by the Trust. Oxbridge
students are awarded partial scholarships that assist them with their overall expenses so far,
the Trust has assisted 18 students at Oxbridge and in the ongoing year, both the Oxbridge
scholars are females demonstrating the focus of the Trust to encourage gender diversity. Mr.
Bilal Ahmed concluded going forward, the Trust will focus on maintaining the current corpus of
funds and looking at avenues to enhance funding.
Mr. Farouq Rahimtoola thanked the British Deputy High Commissioner for use of her home and
informed her that there is an association right from the start of the Society followed by the
fund raising through The Blues Ball that makes Alumni feel “at home” in this environment. He
informed that when he was Chairman, Trust went through the Covid pandemic and consequently our
inability to organize more meetings. He added OCSKET was born through the Society and is the
former’s entity. He recalled “Mr. Zia Khaleeli and some of us made it happen and I am delighted
my signature is on the Trust Deed.
However due to the legal issues there has been a reverse
takeover. This does not change the relationship. The younger alumni have to play their part and
support fundraising for the Trust be it by holding debates, musical evenings, plays or even the
Ball. OCSKET is not allowed to receive any foreign exchange donations e.g. when a scholar wanted
to return the scholarship amount as she was employed abroad but this is not allowed albeit
eventually OCSKET did receive funds from her but it was done via her family. It is now in the
hands of the younger alumni to make a success of the Trust and find the appropriate method to
raise funds.”
Mr. Zia Khaleeli extended thanks to BDHC for its support since the
start of the
Trust. He added more than mere support, BDHC provided the personal residence for every Blues
Ball which was the foundation of our financially viable Trust.
He informed The Noon Foundation is celebrating its 75th Anniversary in September 2024 in Lahore
& Islamabad and OCSKET has had a relationship with Noon since the start of OCSKET and Mr. Paul
Flathers at Oxford has been the point of contact. He elaborated OCSKET has had a long
association with Noon in financing one scholarship a year for most years over the last 15 years
whereas in comparison neither Lahore nor Islamabad alumni financed a single scholar. He said he
will introduce Mr. Mohammed Rajpar to Paul and request him to persuade Paul to also hold a Noon
function in Karachi.
Mr. Zia Khaleeli noted that Rhodes Foundation recently celebrated 50
years in Pakistan and have sent one scholar every year to Oxford of which only one Rhodes
Scholar was from Karachi whilst the remainder of the scholars were from the North of Pakistan.
He said Rhodes Pakistan should stop being provincial and extend their net of scholars throughout
Pakistan.
He concluded since the recent news is that Rhodes Pakistan will be sending two scholars a year
to Oxford therefore we should try to ensure the second scholar should be from Provinces other
than the Punjab.
Ms. Sarah Mooney welcomed all the participants and expressed her pleasure about maintaining the
traditional host relationship with Oxbridge Alumni and also offered the venue in future
especially in case another Blues Ball was organized.
Dinner In Honor Of Ms. Frewyeni Kidane, Head Of Advancement & Development At Rhodes House:
On October 16, 2023, OCSKET hosted a welcome dinner in honor of Ms. Frewyeni Kidane, Head of
Advancement at Rhodes House, during her visit to Pakistan. Esteemed Trustees and distinguished
members of the Oxbridge community were invited to grace the occasion. Ms. Frewyeni Kidane
expressed her delight at meeting with Oxbridge members and commended the organization’s efforts
in promoting women's empowerment. Ms. Frewyeni Kidane also took the opportunity to announce
annual sponsorship of two scholars from Pakistan to Oxford University.
Our current membership comprises as under:
First Name | ||
---|---|---|
1 | Abdul Ghani Dadabhoy | aghani04@gmail.com |
2 | Abid Sattar | abid.sattar@askaribank.com.pk |
3 | Abubakar Chundrigar | abubakrichundrigar@gmail.com |
4 | Adeel Ahmed | adeel_ahmed85@protonmail.com |
5 | Adnan Shaikh | adnanshaikh@sabb.com |
6 | Aftab Nabi | aftabnabi@gmail.com |
7 | Agha Salik Ahmed Khan | aghasalik@gmail.com |
8 | Akhass Wasti | akhass.wasti@gmail.com |
9 | Alia Ali | aliathinkspace@gmail.com |
10 | Aliya Masood | masood.aliya@gmail.com |
11 | Aliya Yousufi | aliya.yusuf@orrdignam.com |
12 | Allah Bakhsh Malik | abmmalik@yahoo.com |
13 | Ameer Bakhsh Bhutto | abhutto@yahoo.com |
14 | Amir Jafri | amir.Jafri.Oba@said.oxford.edu |
15 | Amna Khalili | Khaliliamna2@gmail.com |
16 | Anas Makhdoom | anas.makhdoom@gmail.com |
17 | Aneesuddin Ahmed | aneesuddin_a@hotmail.com |
18 | Anjum Halai | anjum.halai@aku.edu |
19 | Anna Rasheed Ahmed | rashtur@cyber.net.pk |
20 | Ansa Zafar | z_ansa@hotmail.com |
21 | Arif Khan Abbasi | arifabbasi@asccl.com / rahmaabbasi@gmail.com |
22 | Asad Jahangir Khan | Ajk-pk@yahoo.com |
23 | Asad Sayeed | asadsayeed@gmail.com |
24 | Ashfan Alnoor Charania | ashfan.ramji@gmail.com |
25 | Askari Chandoo | askari@chandoo.com |
26 | Ayub Ahmed | ayubahmed@hotmail.com |
27 | Chishty/Durainow Mujahid | chishtymujahid@gmail.com/durainow@hotmail.com |
28 | Daanish Bhimjee | daanishb@hotmail.com |
29 | Dara Bashir Khan | darabashir@gmail.com |
30 | Dr. Masuma Hasan | masumahasan@hotmail.com |
31 | Gideon Brier | gideon_bierer@yahoo.com |
32 | Faisal Siddiqi | siddiqilaw@yahoo.com |
33 | Hasan Askari | hasan.askari@btinternet.com |
34 | Dr.Hasanat Sharif | hasanat.sharif@aku.edu |
35 | Hassan Aslam | Hba26@cantab.ac.uk |
36 | Hassan Shehzad Mumtaz | hassan.mumtaz@phitech.com.pk |
37 | Iran Ispahani Rahim | irrahim@yahoo.com |
38 | Irshad Qadir | irshadakadir@hotmail.com |
39 | John Ashley | jmashley22@gmail.com |
40 | Junaid Marvi | Junaid.marvi@oba.co.uk |
41 | Justice Nasir Zahid | nasiraslamzahid@gmail.com |
42 | Kairas N Kabraji | kairas.kabraji@kandtlaw.com |
43 | Kamal Uddin Azfar | kamalazfar@kamalazfar.com |
44 | Khalid Anwar | rai@cyber.net.pk |
45 | Kulsum Ahmed | kulsum.ka.ahmed@gmail.com |
46 | M. Akram Fahim | akramfahim@yahoo.com |
47 | M. Iqbal Qureshi | huvc@hamdard.edu.pk |
48 | Mahreen Khan | mahreen_khan@hotmail.com |
49 | Makhdoom Ali Khan | makhdoom.khan@fazleghani.com |
50 | Mariyah Mazari | mariyahmazari@gmail.com |
51 | Mehvish Muneera Ismail | mehvishmuneera@cantab.net/ mehvishmuneera@gmail.com |
52 | Menaal Safi Munshey | munchey@gmail.com |
53 | Miriam Kugele | miriam.kugele@aku.edu |
54 | Moeed Mudassir | Moeed.Mudassir@enipakistan.com.pk |
55 | Mohammed A Rajpar | mail@gsa.com.pk |
56 | Morial Shah | morialshah@gmail.com |
57 | Muhammad Bilal Ahmed | mbilal.ahmed@dawoodgroup.com |
58 | Munnawar Hamid | munnawar.hamid@hotmail.com |
59 | Musabbir Abdul Majeed | musabbirmajeed@gmail.com |
60 | Naeem Malik | naeemwmalik@gmail.com |
61 | Naiza Khan | naizahkhan@gmail.com |
62 | Najeeb Samie | najeebsamie@hotmail.com |
63 | Najeeba Tariq Khan | najeeba.khan@gmail.com |
64 | Nasir Aslam Zahid | nasiraslamzahid@gmail.com |
65 | Nasser Ali | nasseral@dibpak.com |
66 | Naveed M Javeri | naveedjaveri@gmail.com |
67 | Nazir Ahmed Choudhry | choudhry@cyber.net.pk |
68 | Neesha Dara Khan | neesha.dk@gmail.com |
69 | Nimra Azhar | nimraazhar01gmail.com |
70 | Omar Sial | osial@omarsial.com |
71 | Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman | aurrehman1942@gmail.com |
72 | Qadir H Sayeed | qhsayeed@icloud.com |
73 | Raana Shaikh | raanashaikh@gmail.com |
74 | Rida Zafar | ridamaryamzafar@gmail.com |
75 | Rumi Dossal | rumidossal@yahoo.co.uk |
76 | S Nasir & Anne Nasir | nasiranne@yahoo.com |
77 | S. U. Khan | Saifullah.Khan@sukhan.com.pk |
78 | Sadia Khan | sadiakhan_2000@hotmail.com |
79 | Saeed Y Chinoy | saeedchinoy@yahoo.co.uk |
80 | Saima Hassan | Cyma_h@hotmail.com / shassan@numl.edu.pk |
81 | Saira & Muddassar Malik | muddassar.m.malik@gmail.com/ mmm@bmafunds.com |
82 | Saira Akhtar | akhtar.saira@googlemail.com |
83 | Salam Memon | salammemon@gmail.com |
84 | Saleem Vahidy | saleemvahidy@gmail.com |
85 | Saleha Shahid Shafiq | saleha_shafiq@hotmail.com |
86 | Salik Nazir Ahmed | Sandy12744@yahoo.com |
87 | Salim Raza | raza.salim@gmail.com |
88 | Salima Feerasta | salima@feerasta.net |
89 | Salman Burney | salman.burney@hoh.net |
90 | Salman Siddiqui | salman.siddiqui@gmail.com |
91 | Sameer Khan | sameer.khan@pembroke-oxford.com |
92 | Samiyah Hamdani | samiyah.hamdani@aku.edu |
93 | Samir Feroze | samir@veriqual.com |
94 | Sana Khan | sana.z.kha@gmail.com / sana.z.kha@googlemail.com |
95 | Shabana Pervez | shabanapervez@gmail.com |
96 | Shafeeq A.K Hussain | sakh@cyber.net.pk |
97 | Shahnur Chauhan | shahnur.chauhan@hotmail.com |
98 | Shahzad Khan | shahzad@whyztech.com |
99 | Shakil Saigol | chandsaigol@hotmail.com |
100 | Shameen Bashir | shameenb@gmail.com |
101 | Shehzad Jeeva | shehzad.jeeva@aku.edu |
102 | Shehzad Mehbub | icaltd@cyber.net.pk |
103 | Sima Kamil | staff@rasta.com |
104 | Suhail Zaheer Lari | suhaillari@gmail.com |
105 | Sulaiman Ijaz | sulaiman.ijaz@engro.com |
106 | Suroor Rahimtoola | suroor.labels97@gmail.com |
107 | Syed Akbar Hussain | syedakbarhusain@yahoo.com |
108 | Tabinda Kazmi | tabinda_k@hotmail.com |
109 | Tara Uzra Dawood | tudawood@gmail.com |
110 | Tariq Nasir Zufar | tariqnz@gmail.com |
111 | Usman Hamid Malik | umalik.hamid@gmail.com |
112 | Walid Iqbal | walid.iqbal@lexiumlaw.com |
113 | Zahid Majeed | zahid.majeed@nfoods.com |
114 | Zaituna Shah | zaituna.shah@gmail.com |
115 | Zarmeen Z Bashir | zkatchi@yahoo.com |
116 | Zehra Dara Khan | zehradarakhan@gmail.com |
117 | Zia Kalim | zkalim@hotmail.com |
118 | Zia Khaleeli | khaleeli.zia@gmail.com |
Following are considered as members however, their contact particulars are missing. In case anyone has their contact particulars please inform trust@oxbridge.org.pk
Anees Hussain
Asif Ahmed
Fahimea Haroon
Javed Hussain
Khurram Aleem
Syed Ronaq Raza
Zain Hak