LARKANA: The principal of Bakhtawar Cadet College (girls) Nawabshah, Prof S.M. Yusuf, was laid to rest here at Abubakar graveyard on Thursday. At the age of 74, he breathed last in Karachi at midnight on Wednesday.

Born on May 10, 1946, he was inflicted with Covid-19 and for three days was on ventilator but could not survive. A large number of people hailing from different shades of life attended his funeral.

Those attending the funeral included Sindh Bar Council member Asif Abdul Razzak Soomro, Larkana Deputy Commissioner Tariq Manzoor, Mohammed Aslam Shaikh, Larkana’s former mayor Khair Mohammed Shaikh, Mukhtiar Samo, Dr Bashir Ahmed Shad and others.

He was a famous educationist who after serving in the Pak Army as general staff officer and instructor at Military Academy Kakul entered in the field of education. But prior to it, he had joined a Nai Roshni Project launched during the tenure of former prime minister Mohammed Khan Junejo, said Dr Dur Mohammed Pathan, the founder of Gul Hayat Institute.

According to him, late S.M. Yusuf also remained sub-editor of Sindhi daily Al-Waheed when it was published from Hyderabad.

He got his primary education from Primary School Ali Goharabad and later completed his high school from Municipal High School Larkana and did his graduation from the Commerce College Larkana.

He went to the University of Sindh and did masters in English and journalism. He also remained sub-editor at Dawn for some time, said Rizwan Gul of Pakistan Arts Council’s literary department. Having affinity with academic activities, he became the principal of Public School Sukkur and later joined Sindh Madressatul Islam Karachi as its principal wherefrom he joined Cadet College Larkana as principal and served the institution for 23 years. He also served as principal and project director of Public School Gadap founded by the Sindh Graduates Association.

Cadet College Larkana grew and shot into prominence during his days when vast development was carried out along with addition of new blocks. He also launched a college magazine Indus that had turned much more popular in academic circles. He compiled its 22 voluminous issues. He coined new ideas of linking cadet colleges and other famous institutions and introduced different contests in the quiz of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Allama Iqbal and encouraged talent in the name of speech competitions and declamation contests.

Interested in literature, he became a member of the District Historical Society (DHS) and later was elected as its chairman. During his days, he compiled two books containing articles covering a variety of aspects of Larkana district, said Mukhtiar Samo, the former secretary of the DHS.

He was a member of The Pakistan Institute of International Affairs, Iqbal Academy Award Comm­ittee, life member of Pakistan Arts Council, Karachi and society of Pakistan English Language Teachers and Sindh Red Crescent Society.

Prior to the previous general election, he remained federal minister for education and religious affairs in the caretaker set-up.

He authored and compiled certain books about the history of Larkana, philosophy of Allama Iqbal, Allama I.I. Qazi and others.

Dr Dur Mohammed Pathan, former vice principal of Cadet College Lark­ana, said S.M. Yusuf had tremendously worked to upgrade the college. He also established the English Language Laboratory in the college.

He is survived by three sons and two daughters.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2020