75th Anniversary of The Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Building 1934-2009:- (2009-5)

The building which houses the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry had its foundation laid by Late Mohan Das Karam Chand Ghand Gandhi on 8th July 1934 making it the only one in Pakistan to have undergone the aforementioned. Plot 2A, Street B-3 of Size 4250 sq. yards was purchased by the Karachi Indian Merchants Assocfiation at the rate of Rs.27 per sq. yard costing them Rs.114,750. It was then called PMA Building. It is a :Historic Monument” as declared by the Government of Pakistan on 7the September 1995 under the Sindh Cultural Heritage. The first meeting of the Central Board of Directors of the National Bank of Pakistan was held in this building in 1949. The Chamber has tried its level best to preserve its originality and historical significance as the building shows signs of deterioration while the dome and surrounding minarets seem tarnished.
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) was established in 1959 and it has been serving the economy of Pakistan ever since in terms of development, growth and progress. It is the premier chamber of the country which was formed by the union of four trade bodies in Karachi at that time, namely, the Pakistan Merchants Association, Buyers and Shippers Chamber, Chamber of Commerce Pakistan and All Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
The Chamber is affiliated with five Industrial Town Associations namely, S.I.T.E., Landhi, Korangi, Federal ‘B’ Area, and North Karachi along with the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of commerce & Industry. The major function of the Chamber is to promote and at the same time, protect the interest of trade, commerce and industry in Karachi and those associated with it. It strives to become the cause of increased private enterprise while ensuring a two-fold raise in its contribution to the socio-economic development of Pakistan.
The organization’s policies and programs are determined by the 30 members of Managing Committee which are elected by the members, out of which half retire every year and in their place, new members are inducted through election. There are a total of around 16000 Corporate and Associate Members to which the KCCI provides promotional and business solutions. The President elected by the members (General Body) and the Managing Committee every year elects Senior Vice President and Vice-President. The President controls the working of office and staff and directs all matters of the Chamber, with the assistance of Senior Vice-President and Vice-President.
Since its inception, various foreign trade delegations, dignitaries and diplomats visit the KCCI and exchange views on topics that are of mutual interest. There are many seminars, training courses, and conferences on trade related subjects. Publications issued by the KCCI benefit the business community by informing the associated about developments because it represents the mainstream of economic activities in the region. There is great focus on Public Service at KCCI and it strives to further develop its image as a “results oriented metro-wide organization” as stated in its Mission.
On the eve of completion 75 years of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Building Karachi, Pakistan Post is issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs.4/- denomination on May 30, 2009

On The Eve of Completion 150 Years of Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi High School Karchi (1859-2009):- (2009-4)

The Parsis of Karachi are eternally indebted to Seth Shapurji Hormusji Soparivala and his family for sowing the seed of Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi High School in 1859. It was a small Parsi Balakshala housed in the residence of one Mr. Dadabhoy Palonji Paymaster.
As the School going community increased, it outgrew the building. In the year 1869 Seth Shapurji lost his beloved wife, Bai Virbaiji. In May 1870 Seth Shapurji, who had been so fr the greastest benefactor of the shool, donated a sum of Rs.10,000/- on the condition that the school be named the Parsi Virbaiji School. The opening ceremony was performed on 24th September 1870 by the then commissioner of Sindh, Sir William Mereweather. Mr. Jamshedji Framji Master was the Headmaster at that time.
The Balakshala which began in 1870 remained a Vernacular School for Parsi children, teaching Gujrati, Arithmetic, Writing, History, Geography and some needlework up to 1875.
In 1875 the School reached the status of an “Anglo-Vemacular Institute” (Until 1875 all the teaching was done through the medium of Gujrati). In 1875-76 the school was officially ranked as 2nd grade “Anglo-Vernacular School”.
The Student strength till 1878 varied between 112-116 and was co-education. The desire of Parsis to improve their English was evident even in those days. In 1908, the Headmaster sought permission of the Managing Committee of the school to use the school premises, before and after school hours to teach English by Direct Method to Parsi children.
On 10th October 1904, the eldest som of the Founder, Seth Khurshedji Soparivala, laid the foundation stone of the present school building on Victoria Road. This was completed on 24th March 1905 and the opening ceremony was performed by Seth Khurshedji himself.
In 1909 the Cowasjee and Virbaiji Variawa family set up a trust fund to feed and cloth the poor Parsi students and to date the “Bhojan Fund” does just that.
The period from 1920-1946 the second story of the building was completed. By this time numerous other donors helped build the newer section of the school. Golwalla Dining Hall (1932), the Limbuala classrooms and Drawing Hall (1935-37) and the Dadbhoy Mama Workshop Building (1946) were built. The Nullah Land was purchased in (1941) due to the efforts of M.R.K Sidhwa. Dr. H.B. Pithawala who took over from Mr. Sidhwa proved to be a dynamic Principal.
Again through the generosity of the Fakirjee Cowasjee Family, in 1940 the school secured the spacious playing field on Sangster Road.
In 1947 at the request of founder of the nation to the community and the Principal Mr. Behram Rustomji the school opened its doors for the very first time to nom-Parsis.
For co-curricular activities the school has a cricket team, hockey team, swimming team, table tennis team, a volley ball team, basket ball and football team. The school arranges the inter-house tournaments with the students representing the four houses.
Soparivala (Light Blue)
Lancelot (Red)
Quaid-e-Azam (Dark Blue)
Rezashah (Green)
The school has a very active scouts Organization. The school is proud to have the Cowasjee Variwa School Band, where besides the percussion instrument, trumpets and bugles are also taught.
The BVS Parsi High School thus holds the distinction of being one of the oldest and prestigious institutions for young boys in the city of Karachi.
On the eve of Completion 150 Years of Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi High School, Karachi, Pakistan Post is issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs.5/- denomination on May 23, 2009

Habib Public School, Golden Jubilee (2009-3)

Founded by the late Mohammedali Habib and nurtured in the formative years with much care and commitment by his nephews, Hamid D. Habib and Rashid D. Habib and other members of the Habib family, the Habib Public School, Karachi enters the Golden Jubilee year of its founding, this year.On last count some 16250 students have entered the campus of this great institution to acquire good and meaningful education. And what a campus it is! Spread over an area of over 16 acres the School has a number of buildings, the old merging with the new in complete harmony and grace to house spacious and well-furnished class-rooms, libraries, science and computer labs, auditorium, music and art rooms, project rooms, a medical clinic with a full-time doctor on duty, staff rooms and office blocks besides other facilities for the staff and the students.The School prepares the pupils both for the Matric (AKUEB) and the O-levels of the Cambridge Syndicate examination and in most years has turned out 100 percent results with majority of the students being placed in the high A1 and A grades with some achieving positions at the Board level. In O-levels achieving 6,8,10,12 and even 14 As by the pupils is now the norm . To encourage Habibians to acquire good post-school education the Habib Education Trust has embarked on an ambitious and well-structured Financial Assistance Programme so that financially deprived meritorious students are provided grant-cum-loan to enable them enter the country\'s best institutions for higher and professional education.Indeed, financial disability has never been a constraint for any student admitted to Habib Public School. Generous fee-subsidy is offered to the students and those who have unfortunately lost the earning member of the family while still in school, are virtually \'adopted\' by the School since they are required to pay only a very nominal fees thereafter.The facilities for sports of Habib Public School are envious and the hallmark of the School\'s outstanding sports record particularly in hockey, swimming, athletics and basket-ball. Two hockey fields, one cricket ground, two swimming pools (one with underwater lighting until a bomb in the \'65 war destroyed it) with filter plant and state-of-the-art change room and viewers gallery, a cricket field and now an international size Toyota Gymnasium with facilities for basket-ball, gymnastics, volley-ball and other indoor sports and a seating capacity for almost 500 spectators. No wonder the School has turned out 8 Olympians and an equal number of Hockey internationals, two Test cricketers, one of who captained his country; several First class cricketers, a sports medicine specialist who represented Pakistan in Athletics in Olympics and an impressive number of international and national athletes. Equally impressive is the list of Habibian swimmers who won the Sindh Open Swimming Championship for 14 years on the trot. Many of them have represented Sindh and Pakistan in swimming. Fourteen full and part-time sports coaches are engaged by the School to train the boys in different disciplines.In order to provide good all-round education the School has provided, in addition to active sports facilities, arrangements for band, cadet crop, PT and drill, art, music, crafts, literary clubs of English, Urdu and Sindhi, journalism, drama and dance, Islamic society etc. On the occasion of inter-house competitions, parents\' days, all-Pakistan and overseas tours and national events the students are given the opportunity of honing their skills. The School not only arranges Inter-School competitions in the institution but also participates actively in outside competitions and wins handsomely on most occasions. Project Days, Student Days, Environment Days, the Prefectorial system, morning assembly sessions are the areas where the students acquire and sharpen their leadership qualities. Habib education has been largely responsible for the alumni to acquire great success in their given vocations, be they sports or medicine, architecture or the armed forces, fine arts or performing arts, the big screen or the small screen, music or drama, economics or physics, business or banking, security or aviation, bureaucracy or politics and many more. A prominent senator, an Ambassador to the US, the founder Chief of CPLC, former COMKAR, a retired Major General, a renowned Scientist (with Pride of Performance and winner of Nuclear-Physics) Chairman of the largest automobile company, the CEO of a prominent Private-sector Bank, world\'s highest goal scorer in hockey are some of the leading lights among the Habibians at present.The faculty of Habib Public School has always included highly qualified and committed staff that perform their given tasks with rare dedication. Of the School\'s principals three names are worthy of mention-3yed Hasan Akhtar, Bilgrami and Asghar Mahdi Naqvi. Wing Commander 3) Qazi M. Saleem is the present principal of Habib Public School. The Staff Training and development programme of Habib Public School insures that the teaching staff are always in tune with the latest techniques and systems of teaching. The management of the School is in the care of a group of highly competent professionals who, as Trustees, give much of their quality time for the running and constant improvement of the systems and the infrastructure of the School. An ambitious Master Plan set in motion 2002 s still continuing to give to the Institution the best of facilities for the benefit of the scholars and the staff.On the Occasion of Golden Jubilee of Habib Public School, Pakistan Post is issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs. 5/-denomination on March 29, 2009.

National Year of Environment 2009 (2009-2)

The President and Prime Minister have declared the year 2009 as \"National Year of Environment\". The year 2009 is considered to be the right time for launching a full scale National Level Plans and Programmes in all sectors of Environment, as the National Environment Policy, National Sanitation Policy, National Energy Conservation Policy, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Strategy etc. already approved by the Cabinet are ready for implementation. The implementation of these policies would offset the huge cost if environmental degradation estimated by the World Bank to the tune of Rs. 365 billion per annum that accounts for 3% of ourGDP.2. In addition to the cost estimated by the World Bank, Pakistan is also incurring heavy economic loss due to severe climate change impacts. The impacts are visible on biological diversity, desertification, agricultural productivity, water availability, food security, human health and impacts caused due to unusual heavy rains, floods, droughts, glacial melts and glacial lake outbursts.3. Pakistan is fortunate to be one of the eight countries of the World where One UN reform process is being piloted and in the case of Pakistan, this program includes Environment as one of the core program areas. Ministry of Environment and UN Resident Coordinator Office are activelyengaged in finalizing the Environment sector program through an intensive consultation process with all stakeholders at the Federal and Provincial levels. The Ministry has also requested the Federal line agencies. Provincial and District Governments to earmark adequate budgetary allocations in their Annual Development Plans for initiating Environmental Projects and programs on cost sharing basis.4. The National Year of Environment 2009 has commenced with the Regional Conference on Climate Change, The other programs to be launched include, Pakistan Clean Air Program, Pakistan Water and Sanitation Program, Green City Program, Mass Afforestation Program, Green Industry Program, Clean River Program, School Hygiene and Sanitation Program, Village Clean up Program, launch of massive campaign for CDM projects, launching of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plans, launching of Solid, Hazardous and Hospital Waste Management Program and Coastal and Marine Pollution Control Program.5. Issuance of Commemorative postage stamps depicting Pakistan\'s biodiversity will be a major step toward public awareness on Environment. It is one also of the important activities of the National Year of Environment.To commemorate the National Year of Environment 2009, Pakistan Post is issuing four Commemorative Postage Stamps Rs, 5/- each denomination on March 23, 2009.

10th ECO Summit, Tehran Iran (2009-1)

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1935 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey for the purpose of Promoting economic, technical and cultural cooperation among the Member States 2.ECO is the successor organization of Regional Cooperation for Development (RCQ), which remained in existence from 1964 to 1979.3.In 1992 the Organization was expanded to include seven new members, namely; Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan.4.The ECO region is full of bright trading prospects. Despite its young age, ECO has developed into thriving regional organization. Its international stature is growing. Nevertheless, the organization faces un-daunting challenges in realization of its objectives and goals. Most importantly, the region is lacking in appropriate infrastructure and institutions which the organization is seeking to develop on priority basis to make full use of the available resources in the region5.Over the past 14 years the member states have been collaborating to accelerate the pace of regional development through their common endeavours. Besides sharing cultural and historic affinities, they have been able to use the existing infrastructure and business links to further fortify their resolve to transfer their hopes and aspirations into a tangible reality. ECO has embarked on several projects in priority sector of its cooperation including energy, trade, transportation, agriculture, drug control & industry.6.To commemorate the 10th ECO summit being held in Tehran Iran on 11-3-2009, Pakistan Post is issuing g Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs.5/ denomination on 11th March, 2009