Thousands attend his funeral at the UOL Campus,
buried in the university compound
LAHORE: Founder of University of Lahore Prof. M.A. Rauf passed away last week after a prolonged illness. He remained hospitalized at the UOL teaching hospital where he was looked after. His funeral prayers held at the UOL Campus on September 6th was attended by thousands of persons which included eminent educationists, Vice Chancellors, Principals of educational institutions, politicians, representatives of media and leading personalities from different walks of life in the society besides family members. He was buried in the university compound, a decision which must be commended as it will provide an opportunity to visitors to University of Lahore to pay their respects whenever they visit this institution. May Allah Pak rest his soul in Jannah. Aameen. Late Prof. Rauf was an institution in himself who managed to build the biggest university in Pakistan which has over thirty-five thousand students enrolled in different subjects.
Prof. M. A. Rauf
He started with an Institute with the help of his friend late Prof. M.H. Qazi and then laid the foundation of University of Lahore in 1999 which was granted University Charter in 2002. At present numerous institutions are affiliated with University of Lahore which includes a medical college, five hundred bed teaching hospital and a cardiology center among others. The Faculty of UOL has over two hundred PhDs and a large number of PhD scholars are now enrolled in different disciplines while many have completed their PhD from UOL. It has also emerged as a leader in the field of medical education in Pakistan. All the institutions affiliated with UOL are recognized and accredited by the regulatory bodies in the country which includes Higher Education Commission, Pakistan Engineering Council, Pakistan Medical & Dental Council, Pakistan Bar Council, Pakistan Nursing Council and Pharmacy Council of Pakistan. He had a vision to develop one of the best universities and his mission is being fulfilled by his sons Owais Rauf, Uzair Rauf and other family members.
Once a delegation of Islamic World Science Citation Centre (ISC) from Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran visited Pakistan and they expressed the desire to visit University of Lahore as well besides visiting other universities. I was the local coordinator for the delegation and through the courtesy of then Vice Chancellor University of Health Sciences Prof. Maj.Gen. Muhammad Aslam arranged their visit and discussions with Prof. Kamran Vice Chancellor of University of Punjab, Mr. Sohail Naqvi at Lahore University of Management Sciences besides University of Lahore. On the day we were to visit UOL, Prof. Rauf fell sick, was not feeling well hence went home. When we reached the University, a message was conveyed to him and he immediately rushed back to the University. Prof. M.H. Qazi the then Vice Chancellor of UOL also joined the meeting while Prof. Mughees Principal of the University Medical & Dental College was also present. When the Director of International Relations at ISC gave a presentation, Prof. Rauf, Prof.Qazi were all amazed to see that ISC knew so much about their institution. ISC delegation was very much impressed with the research work, publications and their citation in various databases by the faculty and students from University of Lahore.
Prof. M. A. Rauf was born in 1941. His family belonged to South Punjab. He is reported to have started his career as Administrator at University of Engineering and Technology. Later he remained affiliated with Quaid-e-Azam University for many years from where he retired. Prof. M.A. Rauf is no more with us but he has left UOL an institution which will always remind of his devotion and dedication to Education and it continues to provide opportunities to thousands of students in various fields to get education in one of the best institutions in a comfortable environment. Visit to UOL any time shows it full of life and some function, academic activity is being organized almost daily something which is difficult to find in any other institution in Pakistan. SAJ
