Obituary -
PROF. DR. S. A. QADIR JUNAIDI
(1929-2001)
ABDUL GHAFFAR AND S. SHAHID SHAUKAT
Prof. Dr. Syed Abdul Qadir Junaidi died of heart attack on 2nd July, 2001
at Karachi. May God Almighty shower his choicest blessings upon the departed soul
and may his soul rest in peace in heaven. Amen.
Prof. Dr. Syed Abdul Qadir
Junaidi s/o Mr. Syed Abdul Latif was born on 6th October 1929 at Hyderabad, India.
He obtained the M.Sc degree (1952) in Botany from Osmania University, Hyderabad,
India. He was awarded the degree of Ph.D. ( 1964) for his work on "Edaphic
control of tree species in presettlement forests of Southern Indiana" which
he carried out under the supervision of Prof. Dr. A.A.Lindsey at the Perdue University,
USA.
Prof. Dr. S.A.Qadir Junaidi had been involved in teaching and research
at the Department of Botany, University of Karachi (1956-74), AI Fateh University
Libya (1974-79) and at the University of Balochistan, Quetta (1980-89) where he
served as Professor and Chairman ( 1982-89), Dean, Faculty of Science ( 1982-89),
Professor, Institute of Environmental Sciences & Research, Pakistan Steel,
Karachi (1996-98). Dr. S.A.Qadir has also been President of the Pakistan Botanical
Society ( 1988-91 ).
Prof. Dr. S.A. Qadir Junaidi can be regarded as a pioneer
ecologist of Pakistan. He introduced the discipline of Plant Ecology at the University
of Karachi and has trained a number of students, some of them are now the leading
ecologists of Pakistan. Dr. S.A. Qadir Junaidi conducted extensive phytosociological
surveys in Sindh and Balochistan and gave useful recommendations to the government
regarding the appropriate land use. Along with his students he worked on the ecology
of a number of important plant species of Sindh like Euphorbia caducifolia,
Capparis decidua, Acacia senegal and disclosed the ecological life-history
of various species and factors governing their distribution and abundance.
Dr. S.A. Qadir Junaidi was also deeply concerned with the urban
environment and various types of pollution such as automobile exhaust pollution,
industrial pollution due to chemical effluents, cement, dust and noise pollution
in the cities. He has published more than 56 research papers in journals of international
repute at home and abroad. Dr. S.A. Qadir Junaidi has left behind his wife (Mrs.
Azra Nishat) four children (Dr. Syed Wahaj Junaidi, Yasmin Mahnaz Junaidi, Adeeba
Junaidi, Basma Junaidi), a large number of his friends, collegues and students
to mourn the loss.
Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi- 75270, Pakistan.