Prepared by: Muhammad Faisal Khan, Co-Chair for IEEE Karachi Section Student Activities Committee (SAC) and Section Chapter / Subsection Coordinator
IEEE Karachi Section, established on 22nd May 1978 as a sub-section and upgraded to a Section on 17th July 1982, is one of the active Sections of IEEE Region 10. It covers two provinces of Pakistan (Sindh and Balochistan) and also has one subsection (Quetta). Karachi Section has both industrial and academia representations in its executive committee which is very beneficial for IEEE members, students and young professionals. The office bearers of the Section include Prof. Dr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry (Chair), Prof. Dr. Tariq Rahim Soomro (Vice-Chair), Prof. Dr. Asim Ur Rehman (Secretary) and Engr. Moiz Rahman Memon (Treasurer). The office bearers are experienced and actively contribute in smooth running of various activities under Karachi Section’s umbrella. It is pertinent to mention that the Section Chair is the recipient of the prestigious Distinguished National Professor Award by Government of Pakistan in 2017.
The Section has four society chapters namely the Power & Energy Society, Communication Society, Computer Society (CS) and the recently formed Industrial Electronics Society. These chapters regularly organize various activities for the grooming of students and professionals. IEEE Karachi CS Chapter received the 2019 Outstanding Chapter Award “Runner Up” by Executive Director IEEE R10 in February 2020. The same chapter also received an award in 2020 for organizing the highest number of activities by the Section.
Karachi Section strongly believes in collaboration and therefore there are also two joint chapters in the Section along with Lahore and Islamabad Sections. These joint chapters are the Control Systems Society and Robotics & Automation Society. Conferences are the forums for sharing knowledge, to support this exchange of wisdom, the Section organized three conferences in 2020 (iCoMET, ICISCT, ICETST) and five conferences in 2021 (MAJICC, HONET, ICECUBE, IMTIC, ICCIS).
There is also a SIGHT chapter in Karachi Section which has won USD4800 funding under the special HAC/SIGHT COVID-19 funding program, completed in July 2021. In June 2021, Mr. Parkash Lohana (IEEE Karachi SIGHT Chair) was inducted into IEEE-HKN, an honor society as a professional member. The Section also has an active WIE affinity group (AG) who continuously organizes various events for the professional growth of women. Young Professionals (YP) AG of the Section is also very energetic. Two funds have been awarded to IEEE Karachi Section’s YP in 2021 by R10 under the UpSkill 2021 program and Student-YP Joint Activity Fund 2021. The Section has had strong bonding with industry for many years with funding won by the Section in 2021 under Industry Academia Engagement Workshop program. Students are the priority of the Section, there are 30 student branches in the jurisdiction of Karachi Section, thus the Student Activities Committee (SAC) of the Section has always been proactive.
Some members of IEEE Karachi Section are also part of various committees of IEEE Region 10. These include Prof. Dr. Tariq Rahim Soomro (R10 Computer Society Southern Area Coordinator 2020-2021), Mr. Parkash Lohana (2021-2022 R10 Professional Activities Committee Chair), Mr. Muhammad Rafay Shaikh (graphic designer & supporting webmaster for IEEE MGA SAC) and Engr. Sarang Shaikh (MGA IEEE madC Global Chair 2017-2018). Prof. Tariq Rahim Soomro has also been honored as IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Visitor 2021-2023.