SMIU Students Honoured to Become Ambassadors for Ombudsman Sindh
A workshop was held on June 28, 2024, at the auditorium of SMIU, chaired by Mr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput, Provincial Ombudsman of Sindh, with Vice Chancellor Dr. Mujeeb Sahrai serving as the guest of honor. The primary objective of the session was to select SMIU students as Brand Ambassadors for the Provincial Ombudsman of Sindh. These students would be tasked with disseminating information about the Ombudsman’s role and functions among their peers and the general public.
In his speech, the Ombudsman highlighted the role of the Ombudsman Office in providing administrative justice and outlined the key features of the Brand Ambassador Program. This initiative, part of the regional subsidy from the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), aimed to disseminate information, promote civic responsibilities, and increase community outreach through students, who are seen as future leaders. He added that the selected Ambassadors would act as a bridge between the Ombudsman’s office and the student body, promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability within government departments.
The Ombudsman expressed pride in being at the historic Sindh Madressatul Islam University, which is the alma mater of Pakistan's founder, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He noted that efforts were underway to establish linkages between the Ombudsman’s office and academia, as this culture had not been well developed in the country. The Ombudsman mentioned that five offices had been opened in different districts of Karachi, with plans to establish more offices in other Sindh cities.
In response to a question, he explained that the Ombudsman’s office was also working to reach out to schools and colleges across the province to spread the message of public service through the Brand Ambassadors.
Vice Chancellor Dr. Mujeeb Sahrai Memon welcomed the Ombudsman and his team to SMIU. Dr. Sahrai discussed the university’s activities and achievements and its role in producing well-skilled youth for the country. He highlighted that SMIU has ten student societies dedicated to training future leaders.
The Vice Chancellor stated that SMIU and the Ombudsman’s office would collaborate to raise awareness about social work and social justice. He assured that the Department of Social and Development Studies at SMIU would fully support the Ombudsman’s office.
Ms. Rehana G. Ali Memon, Advisor, and Mr. Masood Ishrat, Registrar, Secretariat of the Provincial Ombudsman Sindh, briefed the participants about the Brand Ambassador Program and the workings of the Ombudsman’s office through a detailed presentation. The services of the selected Ambassador students would be recognized with certificates.
A question-and-answer session followed, where the Ombudsman addressed queries from SMIU students and faculty.
At the end of the event, Vice Chancellor Dr. Mujeeb Sahrai presented souvenirs to the guests. Earlier, Mr. Muhammad Naeem Ahmed, Director of Students Affairs and Counseling at SMIU, welcomed the guests and thanked the Ombudsman for selecting SMIU for the Brand Ambassadors Program. Ms. Zonaira Jalali conducted the session.
The session was attended by SMIU deans Dr. Zahid Ali Channar, Dr. Aftab Ahmed Shaikh, Dr. Jamshed Adil Halepoto, Advisor to the Vice Chancellor on Academics Dr. Abdul Hafeez Khan, chairpersons of various academic departments, faculty, and a large number of students.
After the session, the Ombudsman, Vice Chancellor, and other guests visited the Jinnah Museum at SMIU.