Obituaries

Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, philosopher, renowned scholar and educator par excellence, died on December 22, 2025, after an illustrious career that spanned several decades. Following his initial graduate education in Pakistan, he obtained a doctorate in Philosophy of Science from the University of London. In his lifetime, Dr. Manzoor held many leading academic positions including Chairman of the Department of Philosophy and Dean of the Faculty of Arts in the University of Karachi, Rector of the International Islamic University, Islamabad, and Vice Chancellor of the Hamdard University, Karachi.

For me personally, Dr. Manzoor was a mentor cum friend who played a seminal role in the early years of the Center of Biomedical Ethics and Culture, SIUT (inaugurated October 2004). He was an erudite scholar, a polymath with years of experience whose guidance and advice was invaluable to us as we thought through areas we wished to include in the bioethics educational programs we were planning. He also introduced us to reputable scholars in many disciplines as potential teachers for our academic programs. Some, Dr. Khalid Masud (renowned scholar of Islamic Law) and Dr. Wahab Suri (Chairperson, Department of Philosophy, KU) among them, became the Center’s most valued Associate Faculty.

Dr. Manzoor used to hold informal Sunday baithaks (gatherings) in his house, open to all, in which individuals from diverse backgrounds (philosophers, religious scholars, writers, journalists, teachers, members of public, and others), would come together for lively discussions about a variety of topics over cups of tea. Nothing was off the table. Attending these baithaks (I was generally the only woman present) served as a catalyst for initiating the “Socratic Hour” in CBEC. Led by Dr. Manzoor these sessions served as primers in critical thinking and logical argumentation for a nascent faculty. The Socratic Hour eventually morphed into the popular “CBEC Forum” that continues to this day.

A man of slight built, huge intellect and twinkling eyes, Dr. Manzoor had an unassuming manner that could nevertheless cut through illogical positions like a knife. He wrote and published, in Urdu and English, on a wide range of subjects – philosophy and ethics, historical and contemporary perspectives on Islam, and the political, religious and social conundrums in Pakistan. Manzoor sahib (as I would address him) had a droll sense of humor. He would regale me with stories about his youth when he adopted wrestling as a hobby (in pre-partition India) and the pehalwans (wrestlers) who instructed him in this art.

He knew and admired Ivan Illich, a radical Austrian philosopher (d. 2002) who was world famous during the 1970s and 1980s. Once when Illich visited Karachi he insisted on staying with Manzoor sahib rather than in a hotel.  The latter would laugh about anxious days ensuring that Illich had a comfortable stay. It was Manzoor sahib who introduced me to Illich’s publications criticizing the role of modern medicine and its claim that it could reduce human suffering. Illich argued instead that commercialization of medical services medicalized human lives and increased clinical and social iatrogenesis. I can recall the many discussions Manzoor sahib, a philosopher of science himself, and I had on this subject.

Dr. Manzoor’s death is an irreplaceable loss not only for his family but for Pakistan as a whole. However, his legacy will continue, alive in the hearts and minds of those whose lives he touched in innumerable ways.

Dr. Arfa (seen, teaching at the head of the table in December 2023) was a dedicated teacher and a beloved friend of CBEC. A Professor Emeritus at Forman Christian College, Lahore, she was renowned for her mastery of Urdu literature. For over a decade, Dr. Arfa taught humanities at the Centre, sharing fascinating stories with her characteristic wit.

One of the first female journalists in Pakistan, she was a long-term supporter of the Centre and attended most of its events. She wrote about the importance of including ethics in the national curriculum. The picture shows her (center) attending one of CBEC’s events, with Dr. Adib Rizvi (left) and Dr. Anwar Naqvi (right).

Dr. Tashmeem Razzaki, a microbiologist at SIUT, was an alumnus from CBEC’s first PGD Class of 2006. She played a pioneering role in establishing the Department of Biotechnology at the University of Karachi. She is seen here (third from left) with CBEC faculty and alumni at the Asian Bioethics Conference in Tehran, Iran in 2009.