SMIU organises seminar on “Idea and Impact”
Chehra WebDesk
Karachi:
Sindh Madressatul Islam University’s Office of Research, Innovation & Commercialization (ORIC) and the Business Incubation Centre in collaboration with Sindh Enterprise Incubation Centre (SEIC) organised a seminar on “Idea and Impact” on Friday at the Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Auditorium of the university, which witnessed enthusiastic participation from students aspiring to launch startups, social enterprises, and technology-driven ventures.
Addressing the seminar Mr. Noor Ahmed Samo, Secretary, Science & Information Technology Department (S&ITD), Government of Sindh said that Sindh is the only province to establish a structured incubation centre, beginning with Karachi and soon expanding it to all divisional headquarters of Sindh, thereby ensuring regional access to innovation and enterprise development. Mr. Samoo emphasized that SEIC is a flagship program of the Sindh Government designed to foster early-stage startups, social enterprises, and incubation-led growth.
Professor Dr. Aftab Ahmed Shaikh, Acting Vice Chancellor of SMIU and Dean Faculty of IT in his speech stated that the 21st century is the century of ideas, therefore the students must capitalize on emerging opportunities in information technology, entrepreneurship, and business incubation to build ventures that drive economic growth and social transformation.
Renowned enterprise mentors Mr. Umair Jaliawala and Mr. Malik Khaskhely delivered motivational talks, guiding students to move beyond hesitation, harness their creativity, and channel their innovative ideas into sustainable business models. They stressed the value of passion, entrepreneurial mindset, and continuous skill development to succeed in today’s knowledge economy.
Mr. Malik Khaskhely inspired the participants by noting that 20% of people with ideas and purpose create real impact in society. He encouraged students to share their concepts without fear, invest in hard skills, soft skills, and digital skills, and build resilient mindsets essential for entrepreneurs.
Mr. Umair Jaliawala echoed this, stressing the importance of gender equality in entrepreneurship and calling on students, especially women, to leverage incubation platforms like SEIC to convert their startup ideas into scalable enterprises.
Guest speaker Mr. Zuhair Siddiqui, CEO Sapphire, underlined the pace of change in today’s digital economy, noting that development is now measured by generational shifts like Gen Z and Gen Alpha, not centuries. He advised students to seize the immense opportunities offered under the Sindh Government’s startup and incubation initiatives.
The seminar concluded with a souvenir distribution ceremony led by Dr. Aftab Ahmed Shaikh, Acting Vice Chancellor of SMIU, Dr. Jamshed Adil Halepota, Dean Faculty of Management, Business Administration and Commerce and Dr. Mansoor Ahmed Khuhro, Director ORIC, to honor the distinguished guests. Assistant Professor Wafa Mansoor Buriro conducted the proceedings.
