Assalam-u-Alaikum,

It is my profound privilege, to welcome you all, to the first convocation of Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering CASE. We are highly grateful to you, Mr. Chancellor, for traveling all the way from Lahore, in this hot weather, to be with us, and preside over the convocation. We are honored by your presence, which adds tremendously, to the grace, and dignity of the occasion.

I miss Chairman HEC Dr. Atta ur Rehman in this ceremony. At this time he is busy in a meeting with the president of Pakistan. He inaugurated CASE in September 2001. Fortunately, Prof. Dr. Sohail Naqvi is representing Chairman HEC. He also has a significant contribution in founding CASE. I recall my many meetings with Dr Naqvi, Dr Shoab, Dr Farraukh, Dr Saeed and others in early 2001. We used to discuss the idea of instituting a world class center for engineering education in collaboration with industrial partner in Pakistan.  These brain storming sessions resulted in CASE, which is unique in its form, foundation and outlook. It is a research-focused institution collaborating with industry. CASE with its industrial arm CARE presents an excellent model of Academia Industry partnership for the other institutes to follow. Successful timely delivery of complex engineering solutions to public and private organizations and an associated extensive list of publications in the annual report go to the credit of the team. Some of the representative projects are displayed for the audience to witness the perfection in executing high end engineering products and solutions.

CASE has grown exponentially. Beginning with 30+ students in 2001 today it is the largest post graduate engineering program in Pakistan with 550+ graduate students including 80+ scholars pursuing their PhD degrees. As a result funding from Higher Education Commission continues to increase. HEC has granted the access to the Digital Library “Explore IEL Online”. It enables access to more than 700,000 full-text documents. Other grants include; a research grant from Cisco System in the area of Optimal Scheduler Design for High Density VoIP Media Gateway and research grants from PTCL R&D fund. As a next step, CASE in collaboration with the Sir Syed memorial society is working to get charter of its own. The institute will be named Sir Syed CASE Institute of Technology. HEC has already approved CASE application for its formation and it is in process for the grant of the charter from Government of Pakistan.

On this auspicious occasion, I would like to congratulate all the graduating students. I know most of you are already successful in your careers. I hope you found CASE experience to be life forming experience. I hope we have inculcated in you the spirit of nation building and armed you with the tools to become guiding lights for others. I hope we did our best to facilitate the transfer of wisdom and knowledge. We aim to light up the fire of original thinking and passion for service to our beloved nation in each student. Are we successful in achieving the aim? The answer lies in your future achievements. Remember, you are to, continuously strive hard, to sustain your competitive edge, in the state-of-the-art technology. We are living in a fast technologically progressing world.

I appreciate the dedication of the CASE team including its trustees, faculty members, employees, and the students.

Once again, I would like to thank all the guests, wish the graduates a happy and prosperous life, offer my thanks to the Executive Director HEC and express my gratitude to you the Honorable Chancellor, for being with us, on this auspicious occasion.

Thank you!