Its EMAIL time again! These past few days have kept me gelled to my inbox which, by the way, I rarely opened in my university time . I must admit I am getting "obsessed" with emails these days. Side-effects of joblessness ? Maybe...
Its been a long time since I engaged in the never-ending childish debate of the "BEST UNIVERSITY" of Pakistan. But after so many years, does anyone really "still" care out there about this?
The answer to that is apparently yes! We have over here an email forwarded to me by a friend (ex-Gikian) and written by a proud, proud gikian.
From: ********************************** { I am keeping the email address private }
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:32:23 +0500
Subject: [alumni] THE BEST UNIVERSITY OF PAKISTAN.
Friends,
Today I had the oppurtunity to visit NUST open house on behalf of my company where I was advised to hire an intern for our deparment. Over the past few years, I have heard rumblings to the fact that how NUST has overtaken and left giki far far behind. So here is the story of today.
I reached NUST with the images of grand function and grand project I must confess that i was really really afraid that open house would be something amazin.
However to my initial relief, open house was being held in a "tambo", As i tried to enter the tambo open house and i was promptly asked to remove my behind from there as the arena was not "officially" opened by the Chief Guest and I was promptly shipped to another "tambo" where chief guest was being received. Made to sit there for about 20 minutes the chief guest finally arrived. Everyone stood up and rushed to receive the "Chief Guest". Then the Dean in his welcome speech went on and on about how his 'hollyness' the chief guest had graced the occasion by coming. Bored by all what I called "School Standard Parents Day speech by the Principal" , I decided to go out for a Cigarette.
As i stood there having my cigarette, finally happy that i was away from the nauseating buttering of the chief guest, i was accosted by a sombre looking person and was asked in these exact words and slightly rudely.
Person: "App Kaun hai "
Me: "Ji mein BHP Petroleum se aya ho for open house
Person: "Acha Acha. Pur baat yeah ke app under ja ke bethay"
Me: Cigg pe kar jata ho
Person: Nahin App abhi jai
Slightly embarassed and little angry, I was shipped once again to the tambo. Well, after listening to about 30 minutes of ********* (censored) from the Dean and then the Chief Guest we were finally allowed to enter the "tambo" where supposedly the projects of the open house were being displayed.
Well to my amazement only two stalls were allocated to final year projects while the rest of the space was taken up by NWO, NESPAK, NLC, GUNJ GLASS, etc etc. I decided to go ahead and talk to the student with final year projects, as my objective was to hire an internee for this year. While I was standing on one of the two stalls allocated to the students, I was once again accosted by another somber looking person and was told in these words.
Person: "App Zara yaha se hut jai kyu ke chief guest ab is stall pur ana walay hai"
Extremely pissed i decided to give this person piece of my mind . After which I left the tambo open house and nust altogether and came back without hiring the internee.
Now you all must be thinking who this VVIP chief guest was so here is the last kicker. He was the Rector of NUST.
So u can guess which is still the best uni in pak and what is over hyped military *********.[censored]
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And there we have it ! After eons and eons of futile bragging , we still cant get over the euphoria about studying in GIKI, NUST etc. In reality, a great school is that that helps you learn, really learn, something constructive irrespective of the hype . Plus it "may" help you find a job as well!
This email, however, has some valid points and some exaggerations. I have always talked and written about how NUST events lack the glitter, opulence and marketing which is required by a leading University. Perhaps that is something NUST can learn from LUMS, but seriously not Giki. Its also a reminder to how we should treat people from the industry when ever we arrange an open-house. This guy perhaps visited EME and not H-12 which is a bit more friendly to civilians.
However we also have an email from a very energetic Nustian who replied:
"Nothing is wrong with NUST. Its just that Mr. Shah Hussain was having a very bad day!
And we should not promote/support propaganda against NUST as this guy has done by posting it on the yahoo group (giki-alumni@yahoogroups.com).Every university has certain problems and short comings, and we are still the number one university of Pakistan. Mr. Hussain should approach PEC/HEC, if he thinks the rankings are wrong.Proud to be a NUSTian." Ahmad Mustafa .
Ahmad bhai, its always good to highlight your weaknesses and improve them and not sit in a fool's paradise. But I agree no one is perfect, not even us.
And I request all to take this email as satire and not an invitation for a brawl ;)
And I request all to take this email as satire and not an invitation for a brawl ;)
Wasalaam
Usman
