ISOSS celebrates Silver Jubilee and International Year of Statistics

On 22 November 2013 a large number of statisticians, as well as many patrons and supporters of statistics, gathered at ISOSS House in Lahore, Pakistan, to celebrate the 25 years of professional services of the Islamic Countries Society of Statistical Sciences (ISOSS). The Society was established in Lahore in 1988 in the First Islamic Countries Conference on Statistical Sciences (ICCS-1) to promote statistical sciences and their diverse applications in various sectors of lives and societies in the Islamic Countries. Its membership is open to statisticians of all orientation.

The founding President of ISOSS, Professor Munir Ahmad, gave a brief background and history of ISOSS and its landmark contributions. He emphasized the need for the creation of provincial and local societies of statisticians in Pakistan to organize national conferences and promote other statistical activities. Founding Secretary General of ISOSS, Professor Akhlaq Ahmad, and two most senior living statisticians of Pakistan, Professor Abdus Samad Hirai and Professor Ahmad Zogo Memon, shared their experiences with their young predecessors. The past President of ISOSS, Professor Shahjahan Khan of University of Southern Queensland, Australia was the chief guest in the event; he highlighted some of the recent activities of ISOSS and the need for new leadership of ISOSS with world class achievement. Emeritus Professor Jawed Siddiqi of Sheffield Hallam University, UK, and a former Head of the British Computer Society, also spoke at the event. The founding Vice President, Professor Muhammad Hanif Mian, was also present in the meeting.

Everyone thanked the Executive Secretary of ISOSS, Mohammad Iftekhar for his outstanding professionalism and contributions to ISOSS. A traditional Pakistani dinner was served at the end of the meeting.

The event also marked the celebration of the International Year of Statistics 2013 and the Mathematics of Planet Earth.

Professors Siddiqi and Khan also participated in the Kinnaird Multidisciplinary Research Conference held at the Kinnaird Women College, Lahore from 18–19 November 2013 as part of its celebration of 100 years.

Participants were invited to the forthcoming 13th Islamic Countries Conference on Statistical Sciences (ICCS-13) to be held in Bogor Agricultural University (formerly IPB Bogor), Indonesia, from December 18–21, 2014. The theme of the conference is Statistics for Better Life. Contact iccs13@isoss.net and http://www.iccs13.isoss.net

Reported by Professor Shahjahan Khan, University of Southern Queensland, Australia


Pictured from left: Professors Munir Ahmed, Abdus Salam Hirai, Shahjahan Khan, Jawed Siddiqi and Muhammad Hanif Mian