Karachi Alumni Get Together for Iftar

It was an evening of close quarters for the alumni community in Karachi as the city’s alumni came together for an intimate get-together over Iftar on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Hosted by alum Ibrahim Shamsi (MBA 1995) at his residence, the Iftar was attended by a select group of engaged alumni in Karachi along with 10 members of the Alumni Working Group Karachi.

The alumni enjoyed the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the new Vice Chancellor, Dr. Ali Cheema and reconnect with the Director of Advancement, Ms. Nuzhat Kamran, both of whom leveraged the occasion to share updates on the current landscape at LUMS and the directions the University is aiming to set on.

Dr. Cheema shed light on the significant impact LUMS continues to make across disciplines and communities through its world-class faculty, relevant research, innovative approach, and global alumni network. He also highlighted the country's staggered growth in recent years and current moment of crisis – specifically in comparison to the forward trajectory of Bangladesh – emphasising particularly issues of energy, water management, climate and more.

Discussions with the alumni centred on how LUMS is posed to address these challenges from multiple angles and how it needs the support of its alumni community to build on its strengths, continue the model of accessibility through the National Outreach Programme and financial aid, and work towards solving Pakistan's grand problems. The alumni appreciated the chance to converse with the LUMS leadership in such a candid and focused manner and took the opportunity to share their perspectives and insights on how LUMS can propel itself forward, and how the alumni can contribute.

The evening concluded with an exchange of tokens of thanks between the gracious host of the evening, Mr. Ibrahim Shamsi, Director, Joyland Pvt. Ltd., and Dr. Cheema and Ms. Kamran, along with some memorable group photos.