Alumni Corner at AIOU: Bridging Past and Future Through Stories of Success

On the evening of May 3, 2025, as the sun was setting, I was taking my usual stroll through the main campus of Allama Iqbal Open University.There was a peculiar calmness in the air, but suddenly my eyes landed on a modern, attractive building under construction. Curiosity guided my steps in that direction. As I approached, a plaque revealed the secret: “Alumni Corner.” My heart whispered, “There’s something special here.”
Journalism has taught me that every silent wall has a story behind it. Driven by that same curiosity, I visited the Directorate of Student Advisory and Counseling Services on May 5, where I met the project coordinator, Syed Ghulam Kazim Ali. His tone was filled with pride and his eyes sparkled with hope. He shared that this dream is the result of Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood’s vision–a vision that sees education not merely as a degree but as a means of character building, nation-building, and social harmony.
According to Syed Ghulam Kazim Ali, the Alumni Corner will be a space where graduates will illuminate the paths of the new generation with their wisdom and experiences. This corner will highlight the stories, struggles, and achievements of those alumni who lit their own paths with the lamp of knowledge and have now made their mark in various fields of life. Their journeys and inspiration will become guiding lights for new students.
This initiative will not only strengthen the bond between the university and its graduates but also establish an intellectual and scholarly tradition where knowledge, experience, and insight are passed down through generations. Let us all take part in this journey of lighting one lamp with another so that the light of knowledge never dims, and each new day brings fresh hope, new light, and the promise of success.
Last year, the university celebrated its 50th anniversary in a grand manner. This half-century journey is not just a passage of time, but a celebration of learning, research, and character development. The university has produced more than five million graduates who have made the nation proud in every field of life. In recognition of these achievements, the Alumni Corner is being established.
This space will not only be a tribute to their services but will also serve as a beacon for the future. It will host alumni stories, interviews, networking sessions, and guidance series for current students, helping young minds align themselves with the demands of professional life.
Among the university’s distinguished alumni are Professor Dr. Najeeba Arif, who completed her MPhil from this institution and gained international recognition in Urdu literature; Dr. Afzal Tahir Bajwa, a renowned plastic surgeon serving at Mayo Hospital, who has received accolades as an outstanding plastic surgeon; and Professor Dr. Shehzad Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy, who has made significant contributions in the field of public health.
The Alumni Corner will become a source of inspiration and guidance for future generations through the stories of such accomplished individuals. Dr. Nasir Mahmood says: “At some point, we have lit these lamps. Now it is time for them to light more lamps.”
I feel it is both necessary and heartfelt to write with confidence that under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood, the university has achieved remarkable academic, research, cultural, and literary milestones in just over two and a half years. Today, this alma mater is not only a respected center for distance education but has evolved into a comprehensive intellectual movement with far-reaching and lasting effects. The atmosphere of the university resonates daily with some scholarly, intellectual, or literary activity- -as if the light of knowledge is ever-glowing here.
This is all thanks to the exceptional leadership that, through vision, wisdom, and continuous effort, has taken the institution to new heights. While the insight of this leadership is commendable, the dedication, sincerity, and passion of Director of Student Affairs Syed Ghulam Kazim Ali cannot be overlooked. Through exceptional commitment and tireless work, he has brought this project to fruition.
That is why it can be confidently stated that under his supervision, the Alumni Corner will not only emerge as a model project but will also become a vibrant, dignified, and enduring center for the university’s graduates. The inaugural ceremony of the Alumni Corner is set to take place soon, with university administration, faculty members, current and former students, and distinguished guests expected to attend.