A national seminar was held at Preston University, Islamabad recently to mark the 62nd death anniversary of veteran of Pakistan Movement and Founder President of All India Muslim League, His Highness Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III. The referenced event was organized in collaboration with the Archaeological and Historical Association of Pakistan (AHAP). Besides senior faculty, management and students of Preston University the important occasion saw sizeable participation by diplomats and elite of the twin cities. Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Information and Broadcasting graced the occasion by her  distinguished presence as chief guest. Syed Fakhar Imam, Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir was the the guest of honor. Eminentamong the speakers who shed light on the life, achievements and contribution of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan were, Raja Mujahid Afsar Khan, Chief of Dandot and President Tehreek-e-Takmeel-e-Pakistan, Dr.Ghazanfar Mehdi, Chairman AHAP, Prof. Dr. Riaz Ahmed, Secretary General AHAP, Dr. Hussain Ahmed, Chairman Shah-e-Hamdan Society, and Dr. Abdul Basit, Chancellor Preston University 

Addressing the distinguished gathering on the occasion, chief guest Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Information and Broadcasting at the outset expressed her sincere gratitude to Preston University and AHAP for organizing a seminar to mark the 62nd Death Anniversary of a distinguished leader of the stature of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III. She profoundly eulogized the efforts of Dr.Abdul Basit, Chancellor Preston University and Dr.Ghazanfar Mehdi for their joint efforts to promote the national heros and keep their memories alive. Dr.Firdous Ashiq Awan said Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan was unambiguously the leader of the Muslims of united India, and it was he who, back in early 1900s, realized that the Muslims were being exploited by the Hindu majority in India, and in order to achieve their rights they would, sooner or later, have to part ways with All India National Congress and make a political party of their own. With this objective in mind, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan along with some prominent leaders of the Muslims of the subcontinent, after several deliberations, founded the All India Muslim League. She said, though Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan belonged to the Ismaili community, he gathered all the Muslims on one platform and worked in unison for their social and economic progress. Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said dedicated and selfless leaders like Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan are born in centuries.She emphasized on the need to make the National Heros a role model and genuinely endeavor to learn from their invaluable experiences to provide effective leadership to this country.      

In his address on the occasion, guest of honor Syed Fakhar Imam, eminent politician and Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir said His Highness Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III was not only the first President of the All-India Muslim League, but he did help in promoting the cause of the Muslims of British India whenever he was needed in uniting them and serving as a strong force behind Quaid-i-Azam, the Founder of Pakistan, in the Pakistan Movement. He said, after Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, His Highness Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan played a leading role not only in strengthening the political role of the Muslims of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, the cause of Aligarh Muslim University but the Pakistan Movement also. Syed Fakhar said Sir Aga Khan strongly believed in establishment of universities of global standards so as to be able to attain our educational goals successfully, effectively compete with our counterparts and attain the desired level of economic and social progress.   Syed Fakhar Imam said in unequivocal terms that the contribution of His Highness Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III towards Pakistan Movement and ultimately towards the creation of Pakistan has been mammoth, and must be duly recognized and eulogized by the Pakistani nation.     

The other distinguished speakers who paid glowing tributes to Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III on the occasion profoundly eulogized his selfless services towards the creation and development of Pakistan. They acknowledged that it was due to the efforts of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III that the All India Muslim League came into being. It would, therefore, not be inappropriate to affirm that Sir Aga Khan ranked among one of the founders of the Pakistan Movement. They said,  Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan played a pivotal role alongside the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the other eminent leaders of the Pakistan Movement in the creation of Pakistan.  

 Earlier, in his welcome address the Chancellor of Preston University, Dr.Abdul Basit extended a warm welcome to  Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Information and Broadcasting and Syed Fakhar Imam, Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir for gracing the seminar by their honorable presence as chief guest and guest of honor. Speaking on the subject of the seminar,  he said highlighting the achievements of our national heroes was a significant constituent of the university’s agenda and the university would continue to contribute towards this end fervently in the years ahead. Dr. Abdul Basit said Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan IIIwas a visionary leader and one of the founders and the first president of the All-India Muslim League (AIML). His goal was the advancement of Muslim agendas and protection of Muslim rights in India. He said, it was truly an honor for Preston University to organize a national seminar to mark the 62nd death anniversary of a distinguished and highly respectable personality like Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III.   

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