I’d like to express my deepest appreciation for the mentorship Prof. Dr. Syed Wiqar Ali Shah extended during my MPhil and PhD in QAU. He was not only a teacher and academic supervisor but like an affectionate family member. He fixed my mistakes and turned it into a learning opportunity. His guidance has been influential, and I know it has shaped my developing skills and habits as I move into my professional career.
I want to tell you all how much I appreciate Prof. Wiqar efforts as he was always willing to put in extra time if the situation called for it. Especially, during my PhD when he was away in Heidelberg Germany, he took long hours to guide me through phone and email. I’m grateful for the attention he has given me as his research student. I truly enjoyed discussion and conversation with him gaining valuable insights into building my career in academics. One can’t learn everything he/she needs to know about the technicalities of his career. I’m extremely lucky and grateful that Sir Wiqar took the time and pain to steer me in the right direction. He created scholars and researchers out of careless students. His students are serving in almost all Pakistani universities and abroad as well. Dr. Wiqar is a great asset and an excellent source of inspiration for all of us now that we’ve opened our doors to the world. Keep up the good work and really proud of you Sir.
Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, a teacher of history, is known to us (students) as a living chapter of history. Prof. Wiqar, who served as the Chairman of Department of History and later as the Dean of Social Sciences has a long career of almost thirty- five years in Quaid-i-Azam University, which is full of motivation and inspiration for many students like me. Prof Wiqar Shah Sahab is known in the circles of academia as one of the most accomplished researcher.
He is the primary source being approached by many researchers of history because of his thorough and deep practical knowledge of history particularly political history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its various parties and leadership. My stay in the university as a student and now a faculty comprises of roughly 10 years where I hardly missed any opportunity to listen to his talks and lectures. It was commonly stated about Prof Shah’s lectures that lets go and listen to the living history. His excellent narration of historical facts and analysis impressed and inspired every student and teacher in the hall. In one of his recent lectures, I am witness to the fact where faculty members outnumbered the students. His academic contribution to the chapters of history stand tall and high and globally acknowledged by reputable universities who hired his services time and again. He has left a rich legacy of Pashtoon political history in the form of challenges to be met by his students. Besides his academic aspects, Prof Wiqar Shah is known to many of us as a beloved teacher, a humble soul, a sweet friend, a simple and down to earth human, a kind elder and guardian, a well-mannered and welcoming colleague. It is hard to comprehend his exceptional qualities in his personality. His simplicity and sweet sense of humor has earned him so much love and respect which I rarely witnessed in this university for any other faculty member or teacher. At the end, I would proudly want to mention my special association with Sir Wiqar Shah as his student, as his junior colleague and now a teacher of his children. This multi relationship makes me so proud and happy and satisfied where I will always cherish this special relationship. I am so very sure that His retirement and absence in University has not distanced him an inch from his students, colleagues and fans as he lives in our hearts and minds. We pray for his best of health and life. We are eternally indebted to you sir.
The most difficult life in academics is lived by a historian. He has been carrying the burden of history on his shoulders bearing all the winds and tornadoes instilled by regimes, dictatorships and monarchs. He is sailing through these difficult waters of subsidence and truth. There are very few historians that stand tall upholding the beacon of truth and academic excellence. Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah certainly is a major part of this prestigious league who in my opinion always kept the honor and sanctity of history.
His approach towards academics on one side brings tons of knowledgeable experience whereas at the same times he is so humble, humane and a peace loving person. Moreover being an academic of integrity, he has peculiar niche for the love of his land and people. After all the global academic exposure he has always wanted to live and die in his mother land. I remember from my student life, his class room was always overcrowded. Students from other disciplines apart from history would also come and listen to his interesting lectures which are a very rare moment in academia nowadays. His lecture and persona are both a pleasant mixture of traditionalist modernity with anecdotes examples of real life experiences full of life and love. His candid story of academic career from “Baby Professor” to “Baba Professor” engulfs his association with the historian field and disciples. People like Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah might retire in books of law but their impacts live forever in hearts and minds.
His long standing association with the department, commitment to discipline, love and affection for the students and a great passion for his work will go a long way in being always remembered as a towering personality and a great mentor for hundreds of his students. His contributions both academic and personal towards all those he comes in contact make him an unforgettable person in their lives. Words are not enough to appreciate and acknowledge his work and services. May he be blessed with health and more ability to continue his labour of work.
Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah is one of the pillars of the Department of History, serving the discipline for the last three decades in various capacities. He is an internationally reputed scholar who has written countless books on the history of KP and translated many valuable works from Pashto to Urdu and English. He has produced more M.Phil. and PhD. Students than any other faculty member in the department so far. He has also served twice as Chairperson of the History department and also Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
I don’t remember much of my childhood. But it lives with me in the tales I hear from my mother. The stories about how Mamaji (Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah) would bring balloons every morning and would tie them to my hand and would sit and watch while I would play with them. Thinking about it, I can see the smile on Mamaji’s face as if it was happening right now. Since childhood Prof. Shah’s house was my favorite place to visit because the love we share for birds.
Mamaji is a fulcrum in our family, an inspiration and an epitome of love. Few words cannot describe him or comprehend what Mamaji means for all of us. Having him as my maternal uncle was always a true blessing and still is a blessing (May He live long Ameen). Hard work, dedication and being humble are a few of those life lessons that I have learned from him. A perfect example of a true and practicing Muslim and a role model for all of us to follow, I pray Mamaji be always there to inspire us and make our world more beautiful.
I have great regard for him not only because of the knowledge he has but also because of his noble personality. I can say that, never have I met such an enthusiastic teacher like him. He thinks about teaching and students all the time. He comes to class regardless of sun or rain. Even if it is an extra class, he tries his best to reach the students in time. All his colleagues and faculty members including myself are grateful to him for what he had given to us. It is not just the knowledge, but it is the love. Whenever I had to face difficult situations in my career, it was him, who gave me the right and sincere advice. Finally I just want to express my love and admiration for Prof. Shah, who inspired me immensely. I have great respect for him, for setting an example and all the encouragement he has given me in life. He is just like a sun to me. A bright shining star who lights up the path for others.
It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to write few words for the personality whom I admire the most, Professor Dr. Wiqar Ali Shah. Prof. Shah is renowned professor in the Dept. of History. He is known to me since 1999, the time when I joined Quaid-i-Azam University as an M.Phil student. My first meeting with Prof. Shah was at his office in the presence of one of his students who was also one of my close friends. I found him quite a humble and kind person during my very first meeting with him. Not only does he have a deep knowledge of History but he also knows how to impart his knowledge to students in an interesting and easily understandable way. He makes learning History less difficult. That is why many students admire him and enjoy his class to such an extent. I have also attended a number of his public talks and lectures.
Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, a prominent historian who has made significant contribution in highlighting the struggle of the great Bacha Khan, is currently working at the Dept. of History at QAU. Dr. Shah is a visionary person and has familiarized many new generations with the non-violence movement of Abdul Ghaffar Khan and the Khudai Khidmatgars.
My first interaction with Prof. Shah was in Heidelberg, Germany during my doctorate when he joined the South Asian Institute as Iqbal Chair representative sent by the Government of Pakistan. During his stay in Heidelberg, I was in close contact with him and he was like my family member. He arranged many social activities and gatherings at his place and we students were later on amused with special tasty desi foods. All his family members were kind and caring that I always felt I am at home. His consistent support and appreciation at every step led my dream become reality which was the completion of my PhD successfully. He is a very kind and noble person. He is the most pious person I have known. I would say may his life be full with joy, happiness, wealth, health and blessings.
Sweet memories of the Past- Revisiting the past is just like to reimburse the lost ones-thoughts, friends, relatives and all the near and dear ones.
On the request of dear/sweet Pashmina, the daughter of my friend, fellow and younger brother Prof. Dr Wiqar Ali Shah Kaka Khel, pushed me back to recollect some scattered pearls of the past from the 80s when for the first time I met Wiqar in the office of Mr Abdul Karim Khan [Now Prof. Dr A.K.K in Hawaii] who was his teacher in the Department of History, University of Peshawar and my friend. Luckily, this first meeting later on turned into a lasting friendship and family friendship till date.
Wiqar, a self-made, hardworking simple Pashtun owing from an important historical village Ziarat Kaka Sahib brought with him the legacy of intellectualism and literary spirit of the dwellers of Kaka Sahib. He developed in his student life a curious mind and scholastic aptitude for research on the Pashtun land and people. And when we, [me, Karim & Wiqar] were in one hostel, most of the friends called us “troika” because of our company, friendship and scholarly pursuits, whatever at that time. Our research topics were twisting around Afghanistan and lower Pashtunkhwa and we were always discussing various topics of interests together. In 1986 I left for Brunei, Karim to US and Wiqar to Islamabad. Wiqar contributed immensely to Pashtun/Afghan history, politics and literature with the first-hand knowledge. I always called him nimazi because of his strict obedience of Islamic rituals even in Oxford. While he was student he had developed a craze for prayers in the early morning followed by listening to Indian old songs and studying books or writing some piece of work. He is a man of one word, straight forward, emotional, fond of eating and man of principle. Khudy di verta sehat ao loi zwand verkeri. Ameen
I feel honoured and privileged to be one of the students of Prof Dr Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, Former Chairman of the History Department and Dean of Social Sciences at the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad. When I did my MA and M. Phil. from the History Department of the QAU during the period 1984-1988 Dr Sahib was probably working in the History Commission. When I joined the QAU’s PhD program in 2000, Prof Dr Sikandar Hayat, then Chairman of the History Department, became my PhD thesis Supervisor. He was supervising nearly a dozen students but after retirement in 2005-6 he soon became very busy in his new assignment at Lahore.
On Professor Sikandar’s refusal to continue supervising the PhD thesis of any of his students including mine whose work was in the pipeline, Dr Shah, who had succeeded him as chairman, was gracious enough to take on the responsibility of supervising my dissertation. Without wasting any time, he went through the whole of my dissertation with deep interest and found it, overall, worthy of submission after correcting some errors and highlighting a few shortcomings at a few places; I did as directed within a month. Thanks to his keen interest and cooperation I obtained PhD degree on time which enabled me, besides earning name, fame and awards, to get academic and professional elevations, such as Professor, Chairman, Director and Dean at the University of the Punjab. During all this interaction I found him to be a wonderful human being, a keen scholar and an eager helping hand. Since 2007 to date, Dr Shah’s qualities as a mentor, scholar, colleague and sincere friend have unfolded in many new dimensions and consequently, my love, respect and regard for him have also increased likewise. I always found him working hard as a teacher, chairman and as the dean. During the past many years we have had the chance of meeting each other quite frequently for the PhD vivas, during meetings of the Boards of Studies and the HEC, besides during various lectures and conferences. He has always very generously accepted my invitations to conduct PhD vivas and attend conferences at the Punjab University. Despite his manifold preoccupations at Islamabad, he has always been the paragon of affection, care, concern and kindness. Please allow me to state that he was a tireless teacher, chairman and dean. Based on my personal experience, I can say that he took great pains to build the careers of his colleagues in the History Department QAU, particularly the juniors which is a rare phenomenon in our society where the men at the top do not care much about the prospects of the ones below them. His sterling quality of head and heart immensely impacted my bearings and he remained my role model throughout my tenure as the chairman, director and dean at the University of the Punjab. His Graduation from the Peshawar University, doctoral study at the Oxford University and the stay at the Heidelberg University, Germany as Allama Iqbal Chair blossomed his scholarly worldview. He has acquired his fame and professional prestige through the quality of his writings and his works. He had an independent outlook in his areas of interest such as the partition of the Indian subcontinent, the history of Pakistan, the regional history of our country particularly of the KPK without which he thought we could not understand the national history. Yet, he never imposed his viewpoint on others instead he encouraged scholars to base their assertions on empirical evidence. In short, Prof Dr Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah is a prolific writer, great historian, a loving teacher, a caring supervisor, a kind chairman, a gracious dean and more importantly an amazing human being. He has given a lot to the state and society of Pakistan by building departments, institutions and a fraternity of historians at the national and international level. Due to his selfless efforts, he will always be remembered for his remarkable achievements by his friends, colleagues and students. In light of all the above, I request him, therefore, that even after his retirement, since the country and the society at large will continue to require his services that he should keep mentoring students and scholars with the same care, love and affection which he has displayed throughout his professional career and continue to leave his mark on the coming new generations of rising scholars as well. This will be the best Sadqa I Jaryah on his part for the rest of the society fully in line with his previous inestimable services. Profound Regards
Wiqar Ali Shah joined the Department of History at the Quaid-i-Azam University about a decade after I did. Relatively fresh from Peshawar, he broadened his horizons through sheer hard work, which earned him a doctorate under Judith Brown at Oxford.
In the Department he was known for his hospitality and his love for all things Pashtun. A devout practicing Muslim, he regaled us with anecdotes of Pashtoonwali and educated us on how it not only pre-dates Islam, but also oftentimes supersedes the practices of Islam amongst the Pashtoons. He continued to be the interlocutor between the administration and the Pashtoon Students Council, sometimes formally and other times informally.
He has published prolifically, with focus on the Pashtoons, whether it is Ethnicity, Islam and Nationalism, Pashtoon Women and National Service or on the Pir of Manki Sharif, amongst others.
Wiqar has always been positive in relation to his students, and has helped them proactively. His two stints at Heidelberg and then as Dean of Social Sciences have helped him hone his skills both as a researcher and administrator. He might be retiring from the Quaid-i-Azam University, but I’m sure will find new avenues to be productive.
Whenever I went through the text including the word “Mentor” during my student life, I couldn’t understand its literal meaning. I found its meaning when I met Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, for the first time in my life. I read his articles and books and that inclined me to carry out my own research work on the history of Khudai Khidmatgar Movement, to the cause, Dr. Wiqar Ali Shah Sahb is the pioneer.
It is his honor that his struggle of research on Khudai Khidmatgar Movement during the days of marital law, opened ways for new researchers. It’s time to count the 9 Phds and so many M.Phil Studies beside thousands of research articles conducted upon the movement. He is thus, the first in all, who introduced the movement to the academia. When he speaks, history touches heights of truth. When he writes, history becomes objective in true sense. Although he bears no time out of his busy and hectic schedule yet, we can meet him only in seminars, symposiums and conferences round the valleys of Peshawar. Dr. Sohail Khan
It is always a difficult task to write about your teacher, especially one who has contributed in your life. Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah is one of those personalities who has not only taught me in the classroom but has also played an important role in my life and career development. He was and still is always there whenever I need any guidance. I first met him back in 1993, when I joined department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University as a first semester M.Sc. student. We were his last batch whom he taught as a non-Ph.D. faculty, as he went to Oxford to pursue Ph.D. in fall the same year.
I did my M.Phil. when he came back and was lucky to be taught again by him during my course work. He was my Ph.D. supervisor and without his academic input and encouragement, it would not have been possible for me to complete my degree. I am also lucky to work with him as a colleague. For the last so many years, he is considered as fatherly figure in the department, as all of us (the faculty members) are his students. Besides command over his subject, there are number of other factors which make Professor Sahib an admirable teacher. However, the three things which inspires me the most are: a) Allah has blessed him with a sharp memory. When he narrates any event of even 1970s he could tell you the color of clothes the person he is referring to was wearing at that time. Likewise he remembers each and everything about the interviews he conducted decades ago and the details mentioned in the books he read many years back; b) my interpretation, of some historical events during by Ph.D. research, was different from that of his, yet he did not impose his opinion on me and allowed me to present my point of view in the dissertation; c) his friendly and at times informal relationship with his students. This allows his students to freely interact with him and thus they get more opportunities to learn.
Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah is the luckiest person around. He has a good academic record with a D.Phil from one of the best universities in the world. As a senior colleague, I witnessed with admiration his steady rise up the professional ladder over a period of thirty years. He achieved all this with sustained effort and hard work.
Without exaggeration, his amiable and cheerful personality also contributed to his success. He is well-liked by his colleagues and is popular among students. He has built for himself a sound professional reputation within the country and abroad. Wiqar Shah is also a family man with a loving wife and adorable children. From the look of it, he has made it good!
Only one meeting a quarter century back made me his fan. He was a couple of years younger than me but his maturity had gone much beyond his age. I had already been highly impressed by his books on two iconic personalities of his native area. He had compiled biographic works and interviews of Mian Akbar Shah and Dr. Waris Khan Rashakai. Both of the revered freedom fighters after having passed the best part of their life striving for their goal of independence were leading a quiet,unnoticed and unsung life.
I could hardly believe on my eyes that the young man sitting in front of me was the same Wiqar Ali Shah and not an old intellectual who had done something, no one else in the entire Pakhtunkhwa could have done. He had rediscovered two legends of our history both of whom were living at that time but had plunged into the debility of old age. I could recall the names of so many other historical personalities who had died without finding any Wiqar Ali Shah to make them documented figures of history for the coming generations. The two Pukhtun legends were lucky to have a young and educated Wiqar Ali Shah who was extremely thoughtful and energetic but intellectually more groomed than his age. That was the time when Wiqar Ali Shah had not yet achieved the status of Dean of faculty and acting vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad.
Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah is the son of our soil. He loves the people and culture of his native land. He feels pride in expressing the identity of his soil. He has also suffered for his extra ordinary love for his homeland. He started writing the name Pukhtunkhwa for erstwhile NWFP when no one else could dare to do so. A written word by someone is itself a full fledged confession. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah was a government servant. He did published the name Puktunkhwa and was criticized by the authorities for it. Some of his adversaries holding a higher office at that time blamed him for having made a great mistake. His critics could not read the writing on the wall by condemning an act which was to be committed by the authorities all over the country several years after the truth predicted by Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah Kaka Khel. The visionary Wiqar Ali Shah had to face the consequences for his righteousness because every Galileo of the time has to pay the price for his truth.
I am proud of my dear friend Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah who is a real asset of the nation.
I have been bound in the passionate attachment of student and teacher with Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah Sahb since 2002 till date. I verily owe my academic as well as professional accomplishment to the zealous efforts and mentorship for Sir Wiqar. I have attached to the higher education at University since 2011 wherein I am serving as faculty member as well as in administrative capacity, however, I think I would not have been able to achieve such a position, had I not been tutored by the greatest mentor as Professor Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah is.
I always remember him as an affectionate and cooperative teacher in class as well as my supervisor in M.Phil thesis. I indelibly ascertain Sir Wiqar Shah with all the hallmarks of a favorite teacher who is caring, patient, kind, knowledgeable, dedicated, collaborative and empathetic. I am exultant to be mentored by such a giant persona grata of the academic community, since 2002 till to date. In addition to all the above mentioned attributes, he is epitomizing Pakhtunwali. I wish him a long, healthy and prestigious life.
Dr. Sarfaraz Khan
Dr Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah is a Professor of History at Quaid-i-Azam University. He served this department as a faculty member and Chairperson. Later he served for three years as Dean Faculty of Social Sciences. He is renowned worldwide for his seminal, diversified and fundamental contributions in topics relevant to History. He has a unique honor of being fellow of Alexander von Humboldt, Germany. His national and international recognition is evident by the membership of international and national Committees, leadership and motivation, numerous scholarships and fellowships, seminars delivered and attended conferences the world over, established research collaboration with leading international scientists and editorial membership.
He has key role in human resource development for MS and PhD students supervision. Many of his students are working now at important posts. Especially he is a recognized personality by mobilizing younger faculty members, inspiring students, promoting innovation and enhancing the standard of social sciences in the country. He published many research papers and books continuously throughout the career. I have a credit to work with him in various important fora like AS&RB, Syndicate and many others. I found him merit protector and straight-forward in giving his opinion. His views were always in accordance to calendar of the University.
Best Wishes- Tasawar
Prof. Dr. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah Sahab is a real mentor. He is a teacher of generations. He is at the top who encouraged research in the domain of history. Not only am I honored to be his humble student but many of my teachers are also his students. May he live, long, healthy and prosperous. Ameen.
Akmal.
Prof. Dr. Wiqar Ali Shah is one of the most senior and renowned historians of Pakistan and an expert on the Indian freedom Movement, Pakhtun history and Bacha Khan, the popular Pakhtun nationalist and non-violent freedom fighter of the 20th century in South Asia. He has obtained his PhD degree from Oxford University in 1993 and has 12 books to his credit written in English, Pashto and Urdu. He has been teaching at Quaid-i-Azam University since 1990 and won the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship at the University of Heidelberg University, Germany in 1999. He also served as a professor at the South Asian Institute of the same university from 2009 to August 2014 as an Iqbal Chair Professor and on his return to Pakistan became the Chairperson of History Department and Director NIHCR at Islamabad in 2015. He later on served as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences for three years and is presently a member of the teaching staff, various committees, Syndicate and AS&RB at QAU, Islamabad.
I came into contact with him in 2005 during my Masters at the Dept. of History, QAU. During my M.Phil at the same department from 2007-2010, Dr. Wiqar Ali Shah not only played the role of my supervisor but also proved as my mentor and remained a source of inspiration and motivation for me. Since my enrollment as a Ph.D student at the Dept. of History in 2014 till its completion in 2020, he has guided me and extended every kind of help whenever I needed it. Besides all this, he is a free thinker and historian who have supervised more than 20 PhDs and more than 50 M.Phil students and taught them to study and write history how it is and how it should be. He holds a special place not only in my heart but hundreds of his students and thousands of his readers. We are proud of him and may he have a very long and happy life.
Naeemullah Khan.
I know Prof. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah as a great historian who has an excellent command on his subject. The name “Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah” is a symbol of academic excellence and pride for QAU. Lots of his students are serving in different organizations at national and international level. I know found him a very dynamic and wonderful personality with a very soft attitude towards younger colleagues. I am greatly impressed by his way of dealing, listening and understating. He is very good in hospitality and welcoming guests.
I learned from him some very important aspects of life. Sometimes words are unable to depict the inner feelings for a special person, I am feeling the same case while writing few lines for Prof. Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah. His services to QAU and society are providing a key pathway to success for students, younger social scientists, researchers and friends.
