Ms.Saima Qutab Memories at DoIM 2002-04

Alumni! Our Eighth Memorable Story
by
Ms. Saima Qutab

(Lecturer, Director Design Library, Liaison Non-Medical Colleges, University of Dammam,
Saudi Arabia)

In the memory of my teachers and class fellows 2002-04, without whom it would not be shining years in Punjab University.

August 2002, got my B.A result and it took me a week to determine that I am going to Library & Information Sciences.  No multiple admission forms, no other efforts, just it is. So much clear about it THAN and NOW. “I am a born librarian”. 🙂

We were in first session of semester system of examination and second session of evening shift. First few weeks spent in understanding the system. Soon, I fell in love with the procedures of semester system, though mostly did not like it. Getting evaluated on every single efforts within classroom, studies, presentations, assignments, ‘it was totally me’. I enjoyed every single moment of studying experience as I become a ‘study freak – book worm’. I loved the moments when I could guide my class fellows to any particular book on any particular library shelf! or was helping them in their assignments in my extra time, taking pride in doing every assignment on challenging topics with altogether unique presentation every time, my hanging out was in libraries, book shops and old book bazars whole two years of MLIS, exchanging and discussing books with my beloved teacher/mentor/spiritual father ‘Afzal Haq Qarshi sb’,. I love to surprise teachers with my newly gain knowledge of LIS or non-LIS acquaintance (far, far away from notes and course guides). I really get into it and it’s paying back well.

Sitting on stairways of department while looking the flowing traffic was my most favorite after the spending time in the libraries. Saving money for photocopies, printouts and assignment papers, eating other’s lunch in their absence, loaning the full loaded pens and returning the empty ones (the famous student life’s pennilessness), celebrating the birthdays, fighting for ‘I come first, will sit here’, collecting money to have a samosa/corn/ dahi bhalla parties, learning the ICT (a death summon for many at that time), local van’s drivers’ refusal to give us a seat by looking at accompanying ‘DDC set of four volumes’, floppy disk to CDs to USBs ‘transition we witnessed’, standing on door step of running buses, small fights and emotional reconciliations, my photography passion with non-digital cameras and making my friends pose on all the beautiful sceneries of campus (than we don’t have smart phones to make selfies), greatest treat to ourselves was having a burger and Kulfi in the STC-PU (no other match that taste around the globe), … another life it was. 🙂

Like every family have some mutual happy and sad moments, session fellows also stand together in happy (jobs, weddings, birthdays, achievements) and sad (death of family member) moments throughout their lives. The bound lasts more than we imagined at that time. We can always feel the pain and happiness of each other. No matter how far we are!!

My partners in crime my gang, 😉 “Faiza Saleem, Munazza Jabeen, Uzma, Saima Zafar and Faryal” for notes sharing, hanging out, long walks on campus country side, photography passion, frequent visits to photocopier and libraries . 🙂 Somethings become symbolic among our class fellows like: we don’t have any CR or GR, we were/are like a family and often teachers, seniors and juniors got surprised with our integrity and unity; signing others’ attendance in their presence or absence was a routine, making Saima Qutab silent while requesting teachers for submission extensions (mostly Munazza holding my hand to make me quiet ), a written live commentary/funny discussion note circulating during lectures among class, “girls need any help, ask Aqeel, Sohail or Zia”, Gulnaz’s ‘only’ mobile phone, planning dieting with Faiza Saqib and ending up with double meals at a time, Faryal’s car’s availability to special event only, Aqeel’s mehndi ceremony with full zest in the classroom and on overhead bridge facing department (due to load shedding in campus), Saima Zafar’s, Sameen & Sara’s ‘fairy god motherhood’, Shahida’s thoughtfulness, English movies’ discussions with Alia, Salman’s sweet Saraiki and taking notes on small pieces of papers, Shafique, Pasaha, Ghafoor and Ileem sb’s as elder bother figures, Ijaz & Asif’s never ending list of questions, Munnaza’s preparedness for trips and parties, even making us all ready, Shahid & Afshan’s parties for entire class (Richie riches of our session), Mahreen’s Anarkali and Pasah Sb’s King Akbar getup, Dr. Khalid and Aqeels’ signing during our first trip ‘mere samne wali khidki mein ek chand sa’,  😉 and my bag(s) ‘always’ full of LIS books …. every memory is so refreshing among us as a family, every memory bring big smile on our faces and light to our hearts…..

Ms.Saima Qutab with Class-fellows & Teachers

I would not say how our teachers taught us, you all know. I recall for what of them impact me most, reflects in me even today, Afzal Haq Qarshi sb’s analytical style of teaching (only one could stand who reads and reasons a lot, I mean, really ‘a lot’), Miss Shah’s beautiful smile while she teaches with so much ease and grip on the topic (I try to copy her smile J), Dr. Khalid’s multiple descriptions of single word (a living thesaurus), always being optimistic and encouraging; Zafar Dar Sb’s (“You tell how to build this number = Tum Batoo Naa yeah Number!)”, exceptional skills on classification theory and DDC. I bet if you leant well from him, you can understand the classification matrix working behind complex databases; Usman Ghani Sb’s shining eyes while he make our minds fly out of conventional educational boundaries with his ‘fill in the blanks’ style of teaching’, Asghar Sb’s experience sharing of ‘real life’ reference services, Mrs. Khan’s motherly politeness and Dr. Kanwal’s flavor of international librarianship and this whole big scenario of future challenges which I later witness during my world travels. Internship experience in LUMS with Dr. Ramzan, Ashraf, Zakir and Anwar sb (they were teachers of practical librarianship for me). It all built me to what I am today and what I will be tomorrow. 🙂 🙂

And how can we forget always helping Akram sb, Naseer (I bet everyone love to have a Nok Jhok with him)  ;)and Sarfraz the WikiLeaks for teachers’ mood 😉 ….. May Allah bless them all.

I got my first job just after one month of MLIS result, I run to department before going home, Qarshi sb met me on stairway and when I told him, he was extremely happy and said “Saima, its result of your hard work, paying of it is just started”. He was so true. Today, after 10 years since graduated in 2004, I have traveled half of the world, won fellowships OCLC/IFLA as first female form Pakistan, Chance Wallace as first and only librarian from Pakistan till today, have prestigious and well-paid jobs in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, social status, enlightened vision, an establishing scholars’ profile, bunch of lifelong friends, mentors and much more… A journey started and nourished from this very department and still going on….. as I used to say during MLIS ‘Sky is the limit’… 🙂

My class fellows today:

Myself and Dr. Farzana Shafique (late), (University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia); Faiza Saqib (University of Sydney, Australia); Dr. Munnaza Jabeen (University of Baluchistan); Aqeel, Asif, Pasha and Ghafoor sb (Govt Punjab Public Library); Gulnaz (Fatima Jinnah University, Rawalpindi); Alia Asif and Farzana Ashan (UET, Lahore); Salman Bin Naeem (The Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan); Dur-Sameen (Aitchison College Library); Zakia Arif (Quaid Azim Library, Lahore); Sohail, Zia, Shafique sb (University of Punjab); Faiza Mustaq (Pak Red Crescent Medical And Dental College, Lahore); Saima Iqbal (Beacon House School System, Islamabad); Ijaz (Punjab Archives); Sanila (Girls College Township, Lahore); Mahreen (Idra Tarakbea Urdu Adab, Lahore); Mirza Irfan Aslam (UET Taxila); Arif (Alhamra, Lahore); Shahida (Defense College, Lahore); Aleem (Special Education) & Faiza Zaidi (Beacon House School System, Lahore).

Those who left profession but are in contact with our 2002-04 family: Afsan (UK); Saima Shahid (Canada); Uzma (Lahore); Sara (unknown); Shahid (Sub-inspector, Lahore).

Thanks a lot Aqeel Rizvi (the ‘connector’ of our session) for updating us about each other and sharing pictures. 🙂

Session 2002-04

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