KARACHI: The 17th annual convocation of the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) Karachi campus was live streamed through social media on Saturday, says a press release.

Given the current state of the Covid19 pandemic and guidance by the public health department, senior management of SZABIST decided to hold virtual convocation ceremony. The occasion also marked the silver jubilee year ofSZABIST.

Chief guest of the occasion was Mushtaq Kassim Chhapra (Sitara-iImtiaz), co-founder of The Citizens Foundation, Patient`s Aid Foundation and the Kidney Centre.

Chancellor Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho opened the convocation and conferred degrees to 1,423 graduating students including four PhD students. Twenty gold medals and 12 silver medals were awarded to students from the disci-plines of Management Sciences, Social Sciences, Education, Media Sciences, Biosciences, Mechatronic Engineering and Computer Science. This is the highest number of degree recipients in SZABIST`s 25-year history.

The virtual convocation ceremony was viewed by more than 5,000 people comprising of SZABIST board of governors, board of trustees, management, faculty, staff, graduates, parents,educationists, guests and media.