Chairperson: Prof.
Dr. Tanzeem-ul-Firdaus
Introduction:
The department of Urdu officially came
into existence in 1955 when the University of Karachi decided to
organize postgraduate classes in Urdu under its own management instead
of through the colleges.
At the time of its establishment. Moulvi
Abdul Haq, Baba-e-Urdu was made honorary Professor and the Chairman
of the Department. Teaching responsibilities were carried out by the
teachers of local colleges. Later Dr. Ghulam Mustafa Khan, a prominent
scholar and Professor at Urdu College Karachi, was appointed both as
a cooperative teacher and as the Chairman of the department. In the
same year, Dr. Abul Lais Siddiqui was appointed as a Reader and Chairman
and Dr. Abdul Qayyum, Dr. Syed Shah Ali, and Qudratullah Fatimi joined
as lecturers.
With the valuable efforts and abilities
of these teachers as well as the scholars and teacher who joined
the department later on, the Department has kept making progress.
The following famous academics have been associated with the Urdu
department: Dr. Syed Abul Khair Kashfi, Dr. Farman Fatehpuri, Dr.
Aslam Farrukhi, Prof. Jameel Akhtar Khan, Dr. Haneef Fauq, Dr.Younus
Hasni, Shamim Ahmed, Prof. Sahar Ansari, Dr. Vaqar Ahmed Rizvi, Dr.
Sidiqa Arman, Dr. Moinuddin Aqeel and Dr. Zafar Iqbal.
The department of Urdu has a prominent
position in the University of Karachi for research. Over 100 Scholars
have completed their Ph.D. research program and more than forty projects
are in progress.
In addition to regular teaching and
lectures, cocurricular, literary and academic activities and gatherings
are also organized frequently.
Teaching
and Assessment:
Teaching at the Department combines
lectures, group discussions and class presentations. Students are
also given writing assignments and selected final year students are
required to submit a dissertation carrying 200 marks six weeks after
the final examination of the last semester.
