KARACHI: People often look for inspiration to work hard in their life. Some make progress by following the people who they are attracted to with their personality, with their art, with their writing or with any other aspect. Anita Shah, mother of two, a writer and a working woman is one of the many exemplary characters for most of the women.
Anita Shah Lakyary was born on 15th of November, 1974. She has done her matriculation from Himayat ul Islam Girls High School in Hyderabad. She passed Intermediate from Nazreth College. Further, she did her BSC from Zubaida College and MBA from University of Sindh.
Her versatility is proved by the degrees of LLB, MA in Sociology and did course of Post Graduate Diploma Certificate from Institute of Women’s Studies, Lahore. Afterwards, as a visiting scholar she went for British council fellowship. She is also a Fulbright Scholar from a Hubert Humphrey fellowship.
She says ‘As all the women are multi-taskers, I have also been a multi-tasker all my life, simultaneously I managed my career’. Currently she is working in Government for which she passed Provincial Secretariat Service (PSS) examination of Sindh Government in 2001. Before that she was assigned as Research Associate in University of Sindh and taught there for less than two years.
When asked about her inspirations, she says, ‘since childhood we had observed our parents only. They were very fond of reading and were extremely hard working. They used to tell us stories at night. When I became capable of learning in first or second standard, I used to buy short stories and read them. I have always tried to make the most of my time. There have been many inspirations for me and one of them was my mother. She never let us skip our school ever. Besides that, Benazir Bhutto, as a personality, she has been my inspiration and ofcourse she is adored in the whole world’.
Anita Shah loves reading biographies, autobiographies as well as fiction stories. According to Anita, her parents belonged to rural areas so they did not live their whole life in Hyderabad only. She has experienced the village life as well and she makes sure that her children also experience the life outside the cities and make them realize that the life is not only limited to Hyderabad and Karachi.
In the beggining when she went abroad to study she faced many challenges in personal as well as on professional ground. Beacuse her career as a journalist was different than an ordinary doctor or an engineer. It was difficult time for her to hear all the criticism from the society but she never gave up because she was supported by her parents. Gradually, the society also accepted her as a working lady because they felt her sincerity and enthusiasm towards her career.
This charming lady, dressed gracefully with her hair nicely tied and glasses put on is a very humble lady in speaking. Her office was a quite big room with the walls painted yellow and black table set in the half left portion of the room. The table was arranged with a pile of papers, pen holders, a paper weight and a telephone. The windows were exposing bright sunlight in the room and her certifactes of journalism were hung on the wall in front of her table.
There were about ten chairs in her office, arranged in a line set against the walls. According to her friend, Sindhiya Ursani, Anita Shah has a humble nature and is a very cooperative lady and an example for all the women. Parallel to that, the views of Parwez Bughio about her are that she is one dynamic personality with huge experience and knowledge. She is one of the leading intellectual women in Sindh.
Anita is very much concerned regarding our educational system. She believes students should get a proper education in a proper way without any disturbances and boycotts that she faced in her life when she was studying in University of Sindh. Her articles are published in Kawish mostly because that is the mostly read newspaper.
She writes in Dawn newspaper too. Her advice for our nation is that we should stop blaming others for any kind of loss. Everybody should play their own role in society and the society will progress itself. Therefore, every individual should work on improving their own character, excellence and position.
KARACHI: Opening his eyes in the well-educated and well-off family, Syed Hasan Askari son of SM Askari was born in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area on January 15, 1966. His father SM Askari was a senior government officer who had served the Civil Aviation Authority (formerly Airport Development Authority) as Director Finance.
Mr Hasan Askari has four brothers and a sister and all of them are highly qualified and outshined in their careers.
Hasan Askari received his primary and secondary education from Karachi’s prominent educational institution – Habib Public School -. He passed his matriculation from the Board of Secondary Education (BSEK) in 1981. He clinched A-grade.
He passed his intermediate from the well-reputed and historic institution – D J Sindh Government College -, affiliated with the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) in 1983. Yet again, he grabbed A-grade.
Apart from academics, Hasan Askari was an extraordinary student too who always took active part in extracurricular activities like playing sports, debate competition etc.
Mr Askari had qualified for the admission in the Pakistan’s well-reputed and prominent engineering varsity – NED University of Engineering and Technology – from where he passed Bachelors of Engineering (B.E) in Civil in 1989. Like his earlier academic achievements, he again outshined and grabbed First Division.
With an engineering degree in hand, Syed Hasan Askari had joined the ECIL Consulting Services, an engineering firm, who was tasked to construct Karachi – Hyderabad Dual Carriageway in 1992. He had also briefly served at the Naval Dockyard as an Engineer.
In 1992, Hasan Askari joined the Schon Group as Civil Engineer where he had served with utmost dedication and honesty. In the meantime, he also appeared in the most competitive and toughest examination held by the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) that he had qualified with flying colours.
In 1993, Syed Hasan Askari joined the Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh as Assistant Executive Engineer (AEN) BS-17. He had served as AEN in Karachi’s West and South districts for a longer period of time.
Particularly in district South, he is the man who had introduced rehabilitation and restoration of historic educational buildings including NJV, DJ Science College and many others.
On the sidelines of the shining job career, Mr Hasan Askari also completed his LLB from the SM Law College. He also passed his Masters of Business Administration (MBA).
In 2013-14, Mr Hasan was promoted to the post of Executive Engineer (XEN) BS-18. He devotedly served in Korangi, East districts and Bin Qasim areas where the condition of the government schools are far better than the rest if compared.
In 2021, he was promoted to the post of Superintending Engineer (SE) BS-19. He briefly served in Mirpurkhas district and later he was posted in Karachi where he had served in Karachi’s Central, South, West and Keamari districts. He was awarded as the Best Superintending Engineer of Sindh.
With his outstanding performance aimed at improving infrastructure of the government schools, Hasan Askari was promoted to the post of Chief Engineer (BS-20) in July 2024. Presently, Syed Hasan Askari is working as Chief Engineer, Education Works Karachi, Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh.
KARACHI: With cuteness on face, bold and attractive personality, Rafia Javed daughter of Nazar Hussain was born on july 15, 1975 at Sita Nandhi a village near district Dadu. Her family had a prominent background in the area and her father was a government employee who worked at the local court.
Rafia Javed has two sisters and two brothers and all of them are highly educated and well-settled.
With limited resources, Rafia received her early education from the Seeta Nandhi Primary School while she received primary education from the Seeta Road High School. She passed her matriculation from the Board of Secondary Education Hyderabad in 1990. She clinched A-grade.
Rafia had to walk three to four kilometer daily to attend school which is the point that led her to be strong and study hard to be an extraordinary student.
Rafia did her intermediate from the Government Girls College, Dadu, affiliated with the Board of Intermediate Education Hyderabad in 1992. Yet again she grabbed A-grade in intermediate examinations. She also started teaching at her school to promote girls’ education.
Since childhood, Rafia remained a girl with helping nature who always had helped his colleagues, helped them in their studies. She also took active part in literary activities and debate competitions in school and college.
With an aim to do something extraordinary in life and achieve success where she can contribute to the society, Rafia Javed got admission in the Sindh’s premier education institution – University of Sindh – from where she completed Bachelors of Arts (BA) in English Literature. She also did her Masters of Arts (MA) in English Literature. Again, she outshined in the university.
On the sidelines of her studies, Rafia used to arrange workshops and seminars for the university. She also wrote articles for regional newspapers on different topics particularly girls’ education. Apart from her university education, she had also worked as Sub-Editor with Ibrat Magazine.
In 2001, Rafia Javed had passed the examination held by the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) and she choose to join the Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh.
Firstly, Rafia had served as Lecturer BS-17 who taught English at various colleges. Then she was posted as Assistant Director in the Education and Literacy Department where she had served with utmost honesty and dedication.
Rafia had also served as Deputy Secretary in the Universities and Boards Department, Government of Sindh for couple of years.
She had also served as Controller of the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) where she outperformed and brought major administrative and curriculum changes to ensure best quality of education for the students of the metropolis.
With her devotion and expertise in education sector, Rafia Javed was posted as Registrar, Directorate of Inspection & Registration of Private Institutions Sindh for couple of years. After her promotion to the next higher grade, Rafia has been working as Additional Director at the Directorate of Inspection & Registration of Private Institutions Sindh till date.
Rafia Javed is a notable figure in the field of education in Sindh, Pakistan. She is recognized for her contribution to education reform, advocacy for girls’ education, and her efforts to improve the quality of education in rural and underprivileged areas of Sindh.
She has been a strong advocate for girls’ education, particularly in rural Sindh where cultural and socioeconomic barriers often limit access to schooling for girls. She has worked on initiative to improve teacher training and professional development, ensuring that educators are better equipped to deliver quality education.
Rafia has emphasized the importance of community involvement in education, working to engage parents and local leaders in supporting schools and educational programs due to it she has established two libraries one at Sita Road and another at Khan Pur. Her work has also extended to influencing education policies at the provincial level, aiming to create systemic changes that benefit students across Sindh.
Rafia’s efforts are part of a broader movement to address these issues and create a more equitable and effective education system in the region.
KARACHI: Opening his eyes in the well-educated and well-settled family, Arshad Hussain Bhutto son of Muhammad Hussain Bhutto (late) was born on February 29, 1968 at Hyderabad, the second largest city of Sindh province. His father was a Professor by profession who was associated with the Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh.
Arshad Hussain Bhutto has two brothers and two sisters and all of them are well-educated and well-settled.
Mr Arshad received his primary education from the Model School, Old Campus in 1973. He passed his matriculation from the Board of Secondary Education Hyderabad in year 1983. He clinched A-grade in the matriculation.
He completed his intermediate from the Board of Intermediate Education Hyderabad in 1985. Yet again he passed his intermediate with flying colours.
Arshad Bhutto was an outstanding students in his studies who always took active part in debate and writing competitions. He also won several medals for his extraordinary skills.
Besides, Arshad also played cricket and football in his school and college level and represented cricket and football teams at different districts.
While finishing his intermediate, Arshad Hussain qualified the selection process and got admission in the premier engineering university of the Sindh province – Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro – from where he passed his B.E (Civil) in 1991. He grabbed First Class in the university.
Mr Arshad always wanted to prove himself as the meritorious student and true and hardworking son of honest father who tasked him just to focus on studies and made them feel proud in the field of education.
With distinctive engineering degree, Arshad Bhutto appeared in the most competitive examination held by the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) in 1992 in which he had qualified for the post of Assistant Executive Engineer (AEN) BS-17, Works and Services Department, Government of Sindh.
While serving the people of the province by ensuring best quality services, Mr Bhutto had served as AEN in different districts till 2012. He was then promoted to the post of Executive Engineer (XEN) BS-18 and served in various districts of the province until 2018. Arshad Bhutto was then promoted to the post of Superintendent Engineer (SE) BS-19 in 2018.
In 2023, Arshad Bhutto was promoted to the post of Chief Engineer (BS-20) and posted as Chief Engineer, Buildings Division Karachi. Mr Arshad has worked with utmost dedication, honesty and sincerity in various districts including Tando Muhammad Khan, Badin, Hala, Jacobabad, Matiyari, Karachi etc.