The Way I See It
7 reasons why Aitchison College is the best school in Pakistan

7 reasons why Aitchison College is the best school in Pakistan

It's simple really, Aitchison College produces the most intelligent minds in the country; Imran Khan was one of them.

Syed Ali Hassan August 26, 2013

A common thread unites a disparate group of great Pakistanis, each of whom has made a mark on the nation’s landscape.

What does Mr Syed Babar Ali have in common with Adnan Sami?

What links the mild-mannered Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to the fiery Akbar Bugti?

The answer lies in a single educational establishment at the heart of Lahore, which has produced some of the finest gentlemen in Pakistan and to answer the question “why Aitchison College” more than any other, here are seven possible reasons:

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

Character first: Aitchison produces the perfect gentleman

An Aitchisonian exudes a well-cultivated air of confidence without appearing conceited. This is combined with unassuming intelligence and a sense of purpose. However, more than anything else, a good Aitchisonian is almost always gentlemanly - embodying all the values that it implies. The emphasis on character building is an ethos that is the very essence of what it means to be a student at Aitchison College.

The school’s traditions and philosophy of what it means to succeed, may not always produce better scholastic rankings than other premier schools such as LGS (Lahore Grammar School) or KGS (Karachi Grammar School), but it does result in the Aitchisonian having a broader breadth of experience and more rounded (some might even say more charismatic) personality.

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

Sportsmanship as much as sporting excellence

The school’s philosophy has always been that healthy bodies make healthy minds and that sportsmanship as much as sporting excellence is key to building character. The multitude of cricket grounds, football and hockey fields, basketball and squash courts, and swimming pools show that the sports facilities are superior to any other school in Pakistan. In fact, the Main Cricket Ground is one of the best in the country. And with the celebrated horses, it’s the only top school to teach tent pegging at an internationally competitive level.

A combination of great coaches and fantastic facilities has made the school a nursery for athletic legends. While KGS, LGS and Beaconhouse might also have illustrious lists of alumni, none can boast the likes of Qasim Zia, Rameez Raja, Majid Khan, and of course the Kuptaan himself, Imran Khan.

This tradition of producing world-class international athletes who also excel scholastically is something that many other schools try to emulate but few succeed.

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

The sprawling campus none can ever forget

Spread over 200 acres, Aitchison College is one of Pakistan’s largest educational institutes. On first setting gaze at the splendour of the architecture and vista of green grounds, fellow students from visiting rival schools are left in speechless awe (and possibly a lifetime of envy).

The singular joy of strolling around the campus amidst majestic buildings and wide-open lawns is yet another memory deeply embedded in all who have had the pleasure of doing so.

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

After a day of intense study, there are few better ways to untie the mental knots than dashing to the nearest vacant field with a group of friends - cricket bat or football in hand. On a lazy day, it is equally enjoyable to amble along the outskirts of a field as other boys combat over whether a particular delivery was legal or not.

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

History connecting the past with future

Aitchison College’s iconic Old Building, designed and built by Sir Ganga Ram, is quintessential Lahore of old, with the power to take its beholders on a trip through time and thoughts of great past students who had graced the school. While keeping in mind past glory, students are encouraged to strive and shape a better future for themselves and their fellowman.

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

Unity, faith and discipline

While some of the brightest in Lahore and Karachi may attend LGS and KGS respectively, diversity defines Aitchison.

The school takes particular pride that there is representation not only from Punjab, but also Baluchistan, FATA, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Sindh. The school’s scholarship system ensures that kids from every social background attend Aitchison. The spirit therefore engendered is that of camaraderie, equality and Pakistaniat, where students take as much pride in speaking Urdu and other ethnic languages, as being fluent in English.

If the rest of Pakistan could be as harmonious as Aitchison despite its ethnic, sectarian and social diversity, we would be a different country. While there may be horseplay on the sports fields, students “gel” with each other, with little thought of who comes from where and even less of what their personal beliefs may be. Despite a multitude of backgrounds, all are united in upholding the motto “Perseverance Commands Success”.

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

A proud legacy of Pakistan’s finest

Aitchison College’s singular focus on building character and devotion to duty shines through in producing success stories in almost every sphere of human activity. It's list of alumni highlights luminaries such as former president Farooq Leghari, former prime ministers Feroz Khan Noon and Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, various provincial chief ministers and governors, and current Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. Renowned lawyers Aitzaz Ahsan and Salman Akram Raja will vouch for the influence Aitchison had in shaping them. Celebrities like Yousuf Salahuddin (impresario extraordinaire), Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pautadi (Indian Cricket Team Captain), and Ejazul Hasan (Pakistan’s leading senior artist) once wore the school blazer.

Their example sets a high bar that serves to motivate Aitchisonians to strive for the extraordinary. That the alumni have excelled in vast array of callings and careers speaks volumes for the school’s ability to draw the best out each of its students

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

It is home to the best “Hot Dog” I’ll ever have

On casual inspection, the famous hot dog patty, available at a school canteen called Deans, looks like a traditional bun kebab. However, dismissing this age-old institution in such a manner would be just short of criminal. I had my first hot dog patty when a friend told me that eating one is a rite of passage and is part and parcel of studying in Aitchison. Together with Deans’ equally famous ketchup, I was introduced to this heavenly combination and a lifetime of shared memories and camaraderie with my fellow Aitchisonians.

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

Aitchison is a lot more than a school. It is a fraternity that people remain members of for the rest of their lives. There is hunger for innovation but respect for tradition at the same time. When Aitchison College’s foundation stone was laid on November 3, 1886, Sir Charles Umpherston Aitchison said,

“This is an institution from which you will banish everything in thought and word and act that is mean, dishonourable or impure, and in which you will cultivate everything that is virtuous, true, manly and gentlemanly”.

Even after 127 years, Aitchisonians aspire to live up to these inspiring words and each in his own unique manner succeeds in doing so.

There is no doubt that Aitchison competes with many great institutes for the title “Best School in Pakistan”. But if given the opportunity, would I choose to attend any one of them? Absolutely not.

After spending eight years at the school, I have come to understand that the Aitchison College experience is unmatched. The school not only excels in academia, but also provides a well-rounded exposure. Aided by the best sports facilities offered in the country, an Aitchisonian is taught the meaning of sportsmanship along with an appreciation of striving for excellence. Aitchison’s focus on etiquette surpasses all else, requiring Aitchisonians to behave like gentlemen not only amongst each other but also in all spheres of activity. The ethnic and social diversity, which encourages students to purge thoughts of superiority and instills a sense of equality among them is something I value deeply.

But most special of all, and what I will cherish forever, are the friends I have made and the memories shared with them. Any Aitchisonian will vouch for that there are few experiences that compare to walking through the school’s hallowed halls, or Cypress Avenue, with a group of his closest comrades – each with a hot dog patty in hand.

Photo: Shah Jewna's Kodachrome Facebook page

[poll id="281"]

Note: Do you think your school is the best in Pakistan? Write a blog post on it and email us at blog@tribune.com.pk

WRITTEN BY:
Syed Ali Hassan An A-Level student at Aitchison College, Lahore, who loves to write and is keen on pursuing journalism as an occupation in the near future.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (151)

Zain Bukhari | 7 years ago | Reply Well Done Ali. An accurate and meaningful description of our College. Hope you're in Godley though and shouting winning chants against kelly at chandni chowk

Desiz Toupo | 7 years ago | Reply Loved it. Write a piece on why your dad is better than everyone else's too!

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Fahd Riaz Ali | 7 years ago | Reply To all the BUTT HURT non Aitchisonians making snide comments,Everyone knows that your parents first priority was securing your admission at AC,100% of the boys at lgs,beacon,chichawatni,whatver have given the AC entrance exam but could not get in and had to settle for these other places LOL and the funny things is that they want exactly the same for their children(to go to AC) even though they do not admit to it

usama Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Sir, plz don't forget SADIQ PUBLIC SCHOOL,BAHAWAPUR it is Also a Great School with Great Old Building Sadiq is better than Aitchison in sports category and as well as grooming of the children. I am a Aitchisonian because i have done O levels from Aitchison and as well as i am a Sadiqian because i have done my Alevels from Sadiq

Chaudhry Nadeem | 8 years ago | Reply The poorly researched and written article shows its shallowness from the very beginning. The statement "The answer lies in a single educational establishment at the heart of Lahore, which has produced some of the finest gentlemen in Pakistan and to answer the question “ is absolutley absurd and ludicrous. I need not read the rest of the essay.

Tauseef Ahmed | 10 years ago | Reply I guess the this article might have not been that much controversial if Mr. Syed Ali Hassan would have written "One of the Best Schools" rather then "The Best School"...

Akbar | 10 years ago | Reply @Talat Haque: IK is probably one of the few recommendations Talat. Are you kidding yourself?

Akbar | 10 years ago | Reply This is a highly pompous article. Aitchison has produced people like Bugti, Shahrukh Jatoi, and other long list, same as a number of other schools. This school was created by the British to create a class divide, people who were neither truly from the sub-continent nor "goray", rather they were dhobi ke....I'm sure you can figure out the rest. And Britishers achieved their goal with flying colors. I've met great people from all walks of life, and a school had limited role to play in their greatness. Moreover, most Aitchisonians do not get over their school their entire lives. In every other conversation and occasions, they bring up their school. It can get quite annoying. Few respect them because they went to a pseudo-elitist school, if they do respect them, it's because they were nice individuals or had other achievements - trust me, it's not the school. There are Elitist schools all over the globe, Aitchison ranks somewhere near the bottom compared to some of them in Switzerland, England, Malaysia and even neighboring India. Lastly, all the political or bureaucratic elite this school has produced, the sheer number of them, what have they done for the country except mostly fill up their own pockets? School ko choro, Pakistan ka socho bhei! Do something for your country if you had the opportunity to rub shoulders with the people who potentially could have done something but did nothing at all except focus on personal growth!

Aitchisonian | 10 years ago | Reply @Grammarian What you are not you'll struggle to claim. However my apologies for suggesting you are conceited. What I really meant to say is that it's a great mercy that you are NOT conceited, for if you were, what other glories and greatness would you not claim, and what else would you not pretend to be.

Grammarian | 10 years ago | Reply @Aithisonian: It seems you have a tendency to perceive statements of fact as conceited, or as protests. thats alright. nothing I can do to change that. I have no need to prove to trolls whether or not I am a gentleman. @I Khan: Thank you for reminding us what is important. I didnt mean to come across as arrogant, nor do I cherish the elitism prevalent at KGS and other top private schools. I apologize for coming across that way.

Abid P. Khan | 10 years ago | Reply @Sane: " Well I totally disagree that Aithcision creates perfect gentlemen. Fact is absolutely otherwise." . One thing is certain, these young gentlemen within a few days of stay there, get assured that the rest of the folk mass are Children of a Lesser God.

I Khan | 10 years ago | Reply @Aithisonian What's "Aithisonian"? Last I checked. It was Aitchisonian. Regardless, you fight like young man, admirable, but mistaken. @Grammarian I am an Aitchisonian, and it does not make me particularly feel good when people call my school 'elitist', especially when they are correct. Yes, we may also be among the schools at the 'top of the food pyramid' but that is not something to be cherish. I do sincerely feel that in our pursuit of temporary limelight and glory for our respective schools we sometimes(most of the time) overlook what is more important; the neglected public education sector. Whilst I am not a big fan of India, I am extremely impressed by the way they are/have developed their public education sector. I mean, they may not be there yet, but they certainly are on the right track. Why can't we put aside our egos for some time to realise that there is a whole other world beyond the vicinity's of our respective schools, and one that does not have a very good chance at a proper education.

Aithisonian | 10 years ago | Reply @Grammarian, thou doth protest too much, methinks. You are not conceited (you say), yet claim, "KGS, Lyceum and St. Patts sit on top of the food pyramid in that order".You are not conceited, yet boast, "Grammarians are some of the most well rounded students in the city". You are not conceited, yet show off your "one of the best extra-curriculars in the city". It is indeed a great mercy that you are conceited, for if you were, what other glories and greatness would you not claim, and what else would you not pretend to be? Being a gentleman is not an expertise, it is a state of being. I'm afraid at the risk of sounding conceited, one either has it or one doesn't. It seems you don't :)

Grammarian | 10 years ago | Reply @Aithisonian: Thats not conceited at all. Its a fact. And I should bite my tongue when I disagree with this article? Have you ever seen such an article by a grammarian? No, because we have no need to do such things. Karachi has fantastic schools. KGS, Lyceum and St. Patts sit on top of the food pyramid in that order. That is fact, and theres no nice way to package this to not sound "conceited". KGS is not only focused on getting good grades. Please talk to grammarians before you make such claims. Grammarians are some of the most well rounded students in the city. We also have one of the best extra-curriculars in the city (i wont make claims about the country which I will leave to aitchisonians since it seems they like doing that). Its funny that you criticize me and then you say that being a gentleman comes naturally to you. Perhaps Aitchison should start exporting its expertise in being a gentleman to other schools so we can all be enlightened.

Talat Ali Hamdany | 6 years ago Well written Hassan. Keep it up. Grooming is done at home. You are the ambassadors of your home to the public. We teachers only pray you do well in life. Being an Aitchisonian is indeed a privilege.

Not an Aitchisonian | 7 years ago There are so many grammarians that you can't brag about it LOL

Waseim | 10 years ago | Reply I can give 1000 reasons why Military College Jhelum is the best college in Pakistan. Ia m nit only saying it because that's my college but because it is fact. If Aitchison has produced 1000 alumina in 120 years, MCJ has then produced 8000 Alumis in 72 years.

Qamar Bajwa | 10 years ago | Reply Screw the 549 people who think AC is not the best. H@t3r5 g0nn@ h8. p0t@t03s g0nn@ p0t@t3

Aithisonian | 10 years ago | Reply @Grammarian,few things can be more conceited than to say, "no (mature) grammarian would ever write such an article? because we let our achievements speak for themselves". Really if you truly felt that way, why not bite your tongue and remain silent. Why not try and demonstrate true humility and say little so that the facts speak for themselves. But instead to go on and state,'You will see in a few years how insignificant these private school bubbles .....when it comes to Karachi, no school even comes close to KGS.', shows the sorry attitude by those who only focus on getting the best grades. At least in the young man's article about AC, nowhere does he diss other schools unlike you. In fact he even concedes that KGS and LGS might do better in terms of scholastic ranking than AC. But then again as an Aitchisonian to be gentlemanly comes naturally, Y chromosome or not. And yes we don't mind saying so :)

Grammarian | 10 years ago | Reply "A common thread unites a disparate group of great Pakistanis, each of whom has made a mark on the nation’s landscape." One thing that makes this disparate group not as disparate is their Y chromosome. You realize that no (mature) grammarian would ever write such an article? because we let our achievements speak for themselves. You will see in a few years how insignificant these private school bubbles are when you interact with people from all sorts of backgrounds. In addition, we acknowledge completely that there are many many good schools in Pakistan but when it comes to Karachi, no school even comes close to KGS. As for all of Pakistan, who are we to comment on other cities? Hard to compare apples and oranges.

Talat Haque | 10 years ago | Reply Imran Khan is not a recommendation please !

Hak | 10 years ago | Reply Just because it produce some of Pakistan public figures doesn't make Aitchison Pakistan best school. Beside it also produce some of Pakistan's most corrupt politicians.

Get aside please, RAVIAN here | 10 years ago | Reply somebody needs to inform writer about GCU :) finest people like Ch. Nisar?? LOL GCU produced people in the likes Allama Iqbal. Dr. Abdul Salam :) are these two enough or should i write a blog about it?? :)

Muhammad Imran | 10 years ago | Reply the hot dog argument stole the show. It was so significant that it had to be in this "mother of all" list .... that is really what i d look for when choosing a school for my sons... It has to serve in canteen the best HOT DOG they can ever have anywhere ... But hey guys its just a blog written by a kid who wanted to have some attention... take it easy !

kabir omar | 10 years ago | Reply @Britpak: "Harsh truth" yes but I think every society needs icons for the masses to admire and follow. One such institution is Aitcheson we all need to be proud off.

Saki | 10 years ago | Reply I've seen very few Op-Ed generate as much heat and discussion as this particular one. The comments are more biased towards the negative than positive. That makes sense since those who like the article simply press the 'like' tab to express their approval. While those who disapprove have to take a bit more trouble and write something down. Many of the detractors make valid points about elitism of the school. There is merit to that argument but aren't Eton, Harrow and Philip's Academy not elitist. Are MIT, Oxford, Harvard, and Stanford not also elitist? Despite various grants, loans, and bursaries, the vast majority of alumni of these prestigious institutions come from relatively privileged backgrounds. It does not make it right, but neither does it take away from the greatness of these institutions. With regards to 'which particular school is the best?', the arguments will never cease. Every child should feel his or her school is the best in the world. One wishes more could feel as passionately, and write as well as the author, about their respective schools. It would be a joy to see alumni of KGS, BeaconHouse, LGS, Cad Colleges et al, wax lyrical on their respective schools on this very Op-Ed page. I salute ET for taking the lead and hope it publishes many more such blogs about other great institutions in Pakistan.

Baffled | 10 years ago | Reply Oh please! This should be printed in the School Yearbook, and not the blog of a leading newspaper.

purple | 10 years ago | Reply Well written article by a promising aspiring journalist who is clearly passionate about his school. I greatly enjoyed following the high-quality comments and discussion triggered by the article.

@Umair | 10 years ago | Reply @ Umair Yes,why not ? It's makes just as much (non) sense as judging criminals by their nationality and use their crimes to make an inference on an entire population ! Can't take what logic you/your countrymen dish out (in these blog comment sections ) , in the first place ...hmmm ?

ali | 10 years ago | Reply No mention of Cadet College Hasanabdal? Always the silent understated achievers, guess abdalians dont get noticed because they dont blow their own horn. If you want to hear true stories about how boys from lower to middle class backgrounds from all over Pakistan are grooomed to be top professionals in their fields, talk to an Abdalian. You might hear stories about a place in Pakistan where a son of a canteen waiter (in the college) studies in the same class as a son of a politician and neither knows (or cares) what the other person's father does for the five years that they are in the school.

Attique | 10 years ago | Reply I see few folks juggling to be considered the best of the lot since aitchisonians. Agreed you were the fortunate ones including myself but can't just negate the level of academics elsewhere. AC gave us recoganization and pride because we contributed and rose out of competition. Back in 1980s, wasn't easy to get into AC, now it's even more tough. Lets not condemn each other on complexes, we should proud of ourselves to have amongst us institutions like Ghora Gali, Burn Hall, LGS, etc.......Pride of Pakistan above all.

MIS | 10 years ago | Reply @Ahmad Tabassum: Reminds me of a saying by our Principal “You are Aitchisonians. You don’t show off. You don’t need to show off”. errrr...of course! =D

Ahmad Tabassum | 10 years ago | Reply @Ahmed Malik: Actually, its a 220 acre land, NOT a tiny box. :P

LOL@Hasan | 10 years ago | Reply "And oh, if you think that because Aitchison is boys-only and hence NOT the best, ask Cambridge University why AC was the first school from Pakistan to be included in the honourary advisory board for O/A Levels." ^^ Someone with such flawed reasoning abilities shall better not attempt to defend his institute for he will only bring shame to it rather. I know many illiterate people with better reasoning skills. Trust me, your two statements have no correlation with each other. It's like trying to prove that our hockey team is great because our cricket team wins matches. I am sorry to see that you have wasted all your years at Aitchison trying to brag about it instead of actually trying to learn something!!

Nicole | 10 years ago | Reply an intriguing insight into a student's obvious love for his alma mater

Ahmaed | 10 years ago | Reply I was at Aitchison during the 1990s. The school has a beautiful campus and I like some of the traditions. I excelled in sports as well as academics there. Therefore I am in a position to analyze it without any feeling of rivalry or bias. Just because Aitchison has great sports fields does not mean Aitchison achieves sporting greatness. In fact I would say that keeping in view its tremendous facilities it should have produced much better sportsmen. Similarly academic achievers coming our of Aitchison are because it attracts the best and the most privileged students. They are good student not because of what the college teaches them but because they have high expectations of themselves. The thing that is awful about Aitchison is that it is a microcosm of the elite of Pakistan. This entails chauvinistic attitudes, feeling of entitlement without making an effort, a tendency to give preferential treatment of sons of politicians and bureaucrats. There is also this disease of "blue blooded Aitchisonians" who think they have been sent from the 7th heaven.

Chaudhry Nadeem | 8 years ago so you are trying to inform us of your eliteness?

Sane | 10 years ago | Reply Aicthison, if has ten reasons, then Karachi Grammar School, Lyceum (Karachi), Nixor College (Karachi) and many others have in 100s. Well I totally disagree that Aithcision creates perfect gentlemen. Fact is absolutely otherwise.

Anaan Ramay | 10 years ago | Reply @Muhammad: Imran Khan, Farooq Leghari, Awais Leghari, Zulfqar Ali Magsi, Feroz Khan Noon, Parvez Khattak, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Rameez Raja and Malik Khizer Hayat Tiwana! How many more do you need huh?

Ozy | 10 years ago | Reply Fun and inspiring article. Nice to see such passion by this young man for an institution that he believes in. I hope other readers don't see his praise as a criticism of other schools but find reasons to appreciate their own scholastic experiences. Let's hope schools like Aitchison inspire others to improve and compete, such as the success stories of newer schools like Beaconhouse, et al. I didn't attend Atichison but am glad we have such Pakistani symbols of pride and competitiveness. And such a beautiful campus. Enjoyable reading experience.

Pervez | 10 years ago | Reply It would be interesting to know what percentage of Aitchisonian passing out each year get admission to the top ten universities in the world. The writer should not be discouraged by the negative comments. Keep on blogging!

Mudassir | 10 years ago | Reply Education is what is left when what has been learnt is forgotten. Aitchison does indeed provide good education.

DudePls | 10 years ago | Reply Also, one day thou shall grow up and wonder why exactly did you write this piece.

Zeeshan | 10 years ago | Reply Aitchison's campus is on 200 acres, how many acres is KGS on?

Umair | 10 years ago | Reply @@Umair Who mentioned religion? I was responding to an earlier comment (I also mentioned the author's name in my comment). So according to your comment, we should judge criminals by the religion they follow, and use their crimes to make an inference on an entire population?

SerialMasturbator | 10 years ago | Reply While mentioning the alumni's of Aitchison writer forget to explain the Greatest Common Factor among majority of them they are all corrupt From Bugti to Qasim Zia all had major corruptions. From Parliment to Sports Desk, the corruption is the factor. Still it's not the school if they aren't this proud of their alumni as the writer is.

WahWah Khan | 10 years ago | Reply Everyone of us loves his or her "Govt High School" Toba Taik Singh....:P

NotAnAitchisonian | 10 years ago | Reply Dear Author, Without even having to scroll to the bottom of the page, one could very easily have deduced that the author of this excerpt happens to be an Aitchisonian. Before you decide to jump down my throat, no, it was not a baseless assumption. In fact, if anything, and I'm sure most of those out there will concur, if you appreciate the invaluable experience of education, one that entails learning, discipline, participating in extra-curricular activities and the like, there are definitely other institutions out there that offer the same, if not better, facilities. Firstly, Pakistan is not comprised of just Lahore, or other institutions in Lahore. Did you take time out to visit other institutions such as Karachi Grammar School? Or how about the International School of Islamabad? Or how about Murree Christian School? The list never ends. Sure, some may not be as vast and extensive as Aitchison, but then again, they too have the capacity to produce brilliant minds as well as athletes. On that very note, some institutions, call them deprived if you may, don't even have ample facilities - for instance, Lahore Grammar School - Johar Town as recently as 2010, produced one of the finest footballing squads of our generation - that arguably dominated the football spectrum for at least half a decade. Moving on to debating, I hate to break it to you but Pakistan does have other institutions that have transcended our beloved Aitchison in this regard, namely Lahore Grammar School Defence, Lahore Grammar School Johar Town, among many others. Amazing that a school such as International School of Choueifat that has no stable/riding facilities could produce one of the most reputable Polo players in the country. Going off on a completely different tangent - your dramatic emphasis on such imperative issues is commendable. Really. Yet, it bears no mention of the typical Aitchisonian's amicable nature, their innocuous, yet phenomenal social skills, and to top if off, their generous, selfless attitude. Hey, I may be generalising here but who's to say I'm not entitled to my opinion just as well as you are, right? An Aitchisonian's preordained superiority over his fellow Pakistanis is, by and large, revolting. Whether it is confined to politics, sports, religion, or even small talk, my fellow Aitchisonians are unfortunately marred by their preconceived notion that they're right, invariably too. It's awfully depressing that an esteemed institution such as yours fails to breed or instill in their pupils the concept of openness - open to thought, suggestions and more importantly, constructive criticism. As you may have noticed, the content of this excerpt has already started deteriorating, solely because this is an endless road, surely one with no light at the end of the tunnel - none for my pompous friends. :) Lovingly Yours, A Pakistani

I Khan | 10 years ago | Reply Well. At least he used nice vocabulary in his article.

Imran | 10 years ago | Reply Guys growing up I was a military brat so I have attended both KGS and Aitchison. I always call myself an Aitchisonian never a Grammarian. I was in Manhattan for a couple of years and would come across investment bankers from both schools, never got more than a pleasant "hello" from Grammarians after telling them I attended their Alma matter for a while and was never left alone at the party after I told an Aitchisonian that I was also one..... Mr. Ilyas....get with the program and try not being Aristotle for a change, it is what it is

SecularlyYours | 8 years ago Dude, you have some issues to sort out if your biggest concern is "I was left alone at the party, mom." I didn't go to an elite school in Pakistan but I always get mistaken for a Grammarian. Why? Because one's intellect and social skills are not dependent on the logo of the school they carry on their uniform. I'm never left alone at a party despite never have gone to either of these schools. Sort yourself out if the total measure of your worth is a classist middle/high school. I went to the United World College (school where at least 2 of Aitchison's recent teachers went to) and even us UWCers don't define our existence by our school despite it being the best network of secondary education in the world.

M. Saleem Akhtar Bodla | 10 years ago | Reply If it's so, then my school is the best of all. This is quiet frivolous discussion. Everyone has same concrete reason to support his school. Because, where one has been studying; it cannot be a petty thing.

anvaar | 10 years ago | Reply give two :) @Shamy:

concerned_citizen | 10 years ago | Reply sorry but aitchisonians are very conceited. i stopped reading the moment i read this: "An Aitchisonian exudes a well-cultivated air of confidence without appearing conceited." -- what a joke!

ilyas | 10 years ago | Reply my boss's mother once told him I don't care how much money do you make what matters to me is how many jobs you provide. Success, money, fame, etc. came secondary in our tradtional upbringing and were supposed to be a bonus. Humanity and above all truthfullness were the goals our elders pursued. Here I just see rat race, compare, compare till death do us aprat. No wonder Allma Iqbal' poetry has been replaced by glamour of Bollywood. Its was sad to read a teenager's blog but it was extremely disheartening to read most of the comments from all ages and different walks of life. We are so deeply indulged in this curse that we just fail to appreciate the finer aspects of life. The Miller of Dee was a far happier man than the King. Take time to smell the roses and kiss your child. There is far more to life than comparing which school had more trees. seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave, the entrance at my school said this. Today we seek grades and still better grades. While we read books, this generation mostly seeks shortcuts thrrough tuition, solved papers, etc. It really pains to see this nation collecting degrees and bragging the length of their school's boundries but coming short when it comes to character building. No wonder once we had leaders and that too of the calibre of Quaid e Azam while today we have just presidents MNAs MPAs, leave alone leaders. Its a defining moment for us and we need to make decisions as to which path to choose. History repeats itself. Its upto us how we want to be remembered.

Pappu | 10 years ago | Reply Next blog on GCU? and then the rest.

haris | 10 years ago | Reply I am from LUMS, and always has a regret for not being into Aitchison. here in lums i have friends from all walk of life but no doubt aitcsonian walon ki baat hi kuch aur hai. Excel in everything. true gentlemen outstanding gpa with captain of every sports. for writer plz also include the name of Dr. asim khawaja Dr. umar saif and i believe i don't need to tell about these two persons whose achievements certainly made Pakistan proud in MIT & Harward. and for athletics, you can have a reference of currently Pak bowler Wahab Riaz.

Saki | 10 years ago | Reply Love the AC/KGS rivalry

ptr | 10 years ago | Reply Most of the alumni of this school have a class for sure. Although a student from middle class family cannot even afford to think about applying to this Institution for admission. So it is also about money to get the personality and class.

Tribune Reader | 10 years ago | Reply Don't let the Grammarian snobs bog you down, they make up a significant proportion of the A level population, and as far as Aitchison goes, I have met quite a few snobs from that school also while at University abroad. So snobbery is something you will find in every elite school of Pakistan.

Walt | 10 years ago | Reply As a fellow author I would like to impart a word of advice. It is forgivable and perhaps even mildly charming to present a romanticized version of ones alma mater. However, what makes a strong piece is a certain number of facts littered into the body of the blog that can transform argumentative writing into a compelling read. In your work you present clearly hand selected and even challengeable versions of facts, which formulate weak arguments that unfortunately don’t stake a strong claim to the title of the blog. As a writer you must learn to resist the desire to over romanticize while keeping a healthy dosage of facts and statistics that clearly back your claim. You produce a piece that is well written, but unfortunately not well researched, and therefore do not produce a compelling read. Keep trying and I’m sure you’ll find your way. Good luck!

MD Khan | 10 years ago | Reply I saw this blog post, decided to comment immediately even without reading it, as I usually have less time on my office desk for non office related work. Aitchison is finest, no doubt about it. People it grooms, usually make awesome career out of themselves, 90% of grads went on , to become great professionals, all around the world. I've met a lot of aitchsonians, during my career/academic phase, there is remarkable difference between people, who studied their inter/A-levels over there and who studied longer. People who studied longer were better performers. I wish it becomes affordable for average Pakistani, If one day, I have a son, and I can afford it, he's going there!

Bonga | 10 years ago | Reply Great people make their schools feel great... Ordinary people right blogs about their great school.. (extra) ordinary people comment on that blog ! Cheers..

AQ | 10 years ago | Reply Ever heard grapes are sour? Some enjoy this great almamater and some just dream about it, and whoever said they only accept students from rich and powerful families is just wrong. My father was a very ordinary person and I got in. So if you love Aitchison raise your hand, if you don't then raise your standards.

Go zardari go | 10 years ago | Reply The jealousy oozing out of the haters, give me more.

Osama Zaman | 10 years ago | Reply I spent twelve of the most formative years of my life at Aitchison. And the way there's always a black and a white, I belong to the category of people who, despite having been 'proud Aitchisonians' at some point in life, were let down and have consequently developed a very rational and unbiased hatred for the place. Every single reason given in the article is easily put down .. Except for maybe how pretty the buildings are ... Possibly my largest affinity is exactly that. My memories aren't golden .. They're laced with undertones of deceit. I didn't make friends for life because of Aitchison. Heck I hated sports and being forced into having to participate, not my cup of tea. Aitchison never was a place that appreciated individuality or respected an opinion contrary to what everyone was taught to believe as the one and only truth. I gave heart and soul to the school as a kid .. I won Aitchison accolades that it wouldn't have, so proudly displayed at the old building. And what I got in return was: if you are not going to conform to the ideal of what a gentleman is in 'our' heads, you can bugger off. You kids like to believe you're gentlemen. Ha! The same gentlemen who made a habit out of harassing every female who was unlucky enough to be able to attend the U-19s. Freedom of thought and freedom of expression are two ideals opposed to the 'we produce gora saabs' ideology, and these ideals are what I believe help make an individual and shape their conscience. I can proudly say that I have a hand in getting your school to whatever pinnacle you kids like to believe it's at, but I can not being myself to be proud of the title Aitchisonian because that place my friend, is the feeding ground for myopia. I don't feel half as angry now as I was reading the title to this article.

An Alumnus | 10 years ago | Reply

 I will not participate in the 'my horse is bigger than yours' argument, Any school that hopes to embody aspirations in its policies and activities faces challenges. The existence of such issues (or lack thereof) is by no means the sign of an outstanding educational institution. Yes, the state of affairs in Aitchison College leaves much to be desired, but as far as a foundation goes, it is an absolutely amazing place to get an education from. People who claim it to be 'elitist' may have a grain or two of truth in the statement, but if the history of the place is taken into account, it is blatantly obvious that such exclusion has been decreasing for decades and continues to do so.
I admit that the words chosen are bold ones. What many of the people commenting here are forgetting is that the author is a young individual (still wet behind the ears as far as experience goes) simply explaining why he loved his time spent there. This is neither a research paper nor an attack on other educational institutions. It is a tribute. There is no need to take offence or get defensive.
TL;DR: He's just a school kid writing about why he liked his school. Why the s**tstorm?

Muhammad A Chaudhry | 10 years ago | Reply An elitist institution where common people like me imagine of getting an admission, just have a look at the web site of the college where you can't even access the admission policy on the web site, no mention of fees, scholarships etc. Only maintained to serve the gentry not the masses.

JK | 10 years ago | Reply Back in the 60's I was one of the few 'goras' at AC. I had the privilege of having Mr Langland as my teacher, number one. Secondly it was hard in every respect, but it taught me respect and I have never forgotten that, nor will I forget the motto. Rightly or wrongly I am proud to have been an Aitchisonian and for what it taught me in my formative years. The words mentioned in the article "a rounded education" spring to mind as I finished my schooling in London where we had to have a police station on campus.......

Ali | 10 years ago | Reply I'm disappointed that a majority of the commenters who claim to be educated are berating a student of Aitchison for this blog but themselves do not understand the difference between a school/college (class 1 to 12) and a college/university (class 12 - phd) such as GCU, FCCU and are thus comparing apples with oranges. Shame on whichever educational institution they attended for not even teaching them this difference.

Raj Kafir | 10 years ago | Reply The most important fact is not mentioned in the blog. The architect of this building was a Sikh, Bhai Ram Singh Ji.

sana | 10 years ago | Reply to the guy who commented that 3000 apply and only 150 get in - do you know the population of karachi. lol.

Waqas | 10 years ago | Reply Now if only it also taught students to write without cliches.

Mohammad Shahnawaz | 10 years ago | Reply It's natural to disagree with this article if you were never a part of Aitchison. The feeling an Aitchisonian gets is a feeling YOU ALL can never get. It can't be put into words either. Aitchison made me what i am today and i am proud of it. No school in Krachi, Lahore or Islamabad can give me the memories Aitchison has given me. Proud to be an Aitchisonian!

Haider Ali Salem | 10 years ago | Reply A proud aitchisonian. Yet I would like to correct you in 2 places: 1) lgs and kgs THRASH us according to grades 2) perfect gentlemen don't go around pickin fights in girls school! No worries shamim khan is back to fix all this!!

Anon | 10 years ago | Reply @Abubakar: YAWWWWRRR TU TOH DOUBLE-STANDARD NIKLA. :P

Parvez | 10 years ago | Reply Somewhere in this daastan you have referred to the Aitchison hot-dog being made with a patty.........now as far as I know hot-dogs are traditionally made from sausages and that to from chicken sausages, a Burger is made from a patty.

Random Pakistani | 10 years ago | Reply Get a life maybe?

S Haider | 10 years ago | Reply This juvenile blog should have stayed in its original place, the College's annual magazine. AnAitchisonian old boy

che guevara | 10 years ago | Reply there is more to an educational institute than big grounds,fancy buildings and hot dogs or whatever you call them and besides most Pakistanis cant send there children to aitchison college.they are neither that affluent nor do they have the money. ET you can do a lot better than this

Ismail Ark | 10 years ago | Reply Interesting read. Though i do not agree with all the points mentioned, i am rather impressed. The article truely does speak for itself. On a personal note, i do not believe that Aitchison is the best school. Nor do i believe GCU is the best, as Mr Abu Bakr has stated. As an ex-Aitchisonian and a current Ravian, i believe both educational institutions have a great deal of flaws. Aitchison boys do tend to be arrogant from time to time, and the excessive fees ensures no one from a lower class family can even afford the institution. Similarly, GCU has its own problems, such as most of its students being out of touch with the modern world. But still, both are educational institutions, and their main goal should be to impart education, not compete with each other.

Indian | 10 years ago | Reply Nawab Ifthikar Pataudi of Haryana studied here ? That would be before partition...so it's a very old institute then...He's Saif Ali Khan's grandfather..Ifthikhar and Mansoor Pataudi were the only father-son pair to captain the Indian cricket team. Very nice photographs..good article.

Malik | 10 years ago | Reply I fully agree with Baloch. Cadet College Petaro is the best high school institution in Pakistan. Its sheer size would eclipse AC. It has produced some of the finest brains and leaders of the country. Unlike AC where only elites of the elites could get admission, Cadet College Petaro has admitted students from the remotest areas of rural Sindh and the best of the Urban cities to produce some of the top minds in the country.

Ahmed | 10 years ago | Reply What a rubbish illogical article full of untrue self-praise and non-sensical musing. If an aitchisonian is your idea of a gentleman, buddy you must be lost. The tribune needs a better class of bloggers.

Rebel | 10 years ago | Reply I think you have not heard about Beaconhouse, The City School and Foundation Public School. Students from Habib Public school would beat Aitchisonian's in sports any day,all day. And Karachi Grammar School and St Patrick's High School are both much older than Aitchison.

Raza | 10 years ago | Reply Firstly to all the people who are trying to compare Aitchison with GCU, let me remind you that both of these institutions have been providing exceptional education to students for over 100 years. To be exact in calculation, Aitchsion was founded on 3rd November, 1886 and GCU was established on 1st January, 1864 and both of these prestigious institutions have a history of creating Pakistan’s finest in every field there is. Having said that, the only difference between these two great institutions (apart from atmosphere, co-curriculum etc, which is default) is that of education. Aitchison College offers A’Levels, the best in the country I’d say while GCU offers FSc, again, the best, in the country. Both of these institutions are a symbol of unity in Pakistan as students from throughout the country apply with a dream of getting admitted in them. (Respectively for A levels, and FSc). The reason for writing the latter was certainly not to compare these institutions. It is evident that these two cannot be compared as both of them are “best” in their own fields. Personally, it’s like comparing your left hand with your right one. And if you read the article clearly, the writer did NOT compare Aitchison with GCU or FCC. It’s your ego that’s doing so. Now, I’ve been at Aitchison. I know what it feels like to be an Aitchsionian. From the early morning assembly, hearing the headboy shouting at the top of his voice to assemble the students to eating the “hot dog pattis” as Ali mentioned in his article. The memories gathered up are certainly something that I will cherish throughout my life and yes, when I think of the past, it does make me sentimental. But I’ve been at GCU too. I know what it feels like to be a Ravian as well and the reminiscences are certainly cherishing as well and something I’d not trade anything else for. Sorry for this exaggeration but I felt that your ideas needed clarification. Now to those people who think that Aitchison only accepts children from the “elite group” or as I read in one of the comments, “rich people,” let me tell you that you’re wrong. I don’t know where you heard of that, but belonging from a middle-class family and being Aitchisonian, I can say that it’s completely false. As Hassan said, “If you haven’t been fortunate enough to spend some time at Aitchison, then you can never understand why it is the best.” Aitchision admits students strictly on merit. Secondly, to those who say that this article is completely “biased.” Well, I don’t see anything wrong with a student praising his institute. He can’t be studying in Aitchison and praising LGS or KGS now. Thirdly, you say that you know some “stupid Aitchsionians.” Well, that statement marks how illiterate and immature you can be, restricting your opinions to a specific group of people. We don’t say, “Ohhhhh that JTite/Grammarian is sooo stuupiidd, OMFG, HE’S SO DUMB WEARING HIS UNIFROM IN ATTENDING MUNs. HAHA LETS COMMENT THAT ON FB AND OTHER PLACES.” No sir, we don’t make such comments. We don’t need to. Now, speaking of different schools like LGS, KGS and FCC. FCC cannot be compared to Aitchsion. Why? The same reason GCU cannot be compared to Aitchsion. FCC tries to compare itself with GCU if you didn’t know, and we all know that GCU is better than FCC in many, many ways. I’m amazed how people are comparing two different bodies. I mean LGS with Aitchison is reasonable, FCC with Aitchsion? Seriously? For LGS and KGS, well Ali already elaborated a lot on that in his article. I’d just say that being an Aitchsionian is something extraordinary and that a non-Aitchisonian can never understand the feeling. As they say, haterz gonna hate. Great article Ali. Well done.

Middle class Aitchisonian | 10 years ago | Reply I went to Aitchison for 12 year! Being from a middle class family with no big 'connections' I didn't get to do much in my entire stay there. Lesser sportsmen were selected over me because they sent 'parchi' to the housemaster. Candidates with lesser credentials were made prefects because they belonged to an influential family. College teams were chosen with favoritism. The sports coaches were more inclined to train the richer kids than the average joes. Despite all that, those were the best years of my life and I would once again choose Aitchison if I had to.

Javed Hassan | 10 years ago | Reply "An Aitchisonian exudes a well-cultivated air of confidence without appearing conceited. This is combined with unassuming intelligence and a sense of purpose. However, more than anything else, a good Aitchisonian is almost always gentlemanly – embodying all the values that it implies." I'm not an Aitchisonian but these are right values to instill for any school anywhere in the world!

Ayesha | 10 years ago | Reply Clearly the writer is biased. Aitchison is hardly the best school in Lahore! Being the best in Pakistan is an entirely different discussion. My son is a fourth generation Aitchisonian, and for me it was more of passing on a tradition than anything else. Aitchison's glory days ended way back in the 80's. Now it's just a symbol more than anything else. The curriculum is archaic, and creativity is hardly encouraged.

maryam | 10 years ago | Reply Yaaar aikk sawaal hai aap sab kay liyay! Who'd you vote for in the elections? Period.

Ahmed Malik | 10 years ago | Reply Aitchison College is just a tiny box for the rich and powerful of the country where their kids can feel at home with other rich brats. At Aitchison either you are one of the descendent of some Nawab or Sardar from the pre partitioned era or even if you are not you start behaving like one and then some day you turn out to be a politician and start claiming that you are from the masses but the truth is you don't even know what the problems of this country are, you only know you exclusive set of friends. P.S that does not means i hate Aitchisonions, i simply hate the idea of a school exclusively for the powerful elite and i also know there are exceptions, a very few people from middle class also study at Aitchison.

abcd | 10 years ago | Reply its a burger school. guys like him "papa chicken" goes there, where all day long they yap in english and when it comes to urdu reading then these kids are speechless. angrez ki oladein

rehan | 10 years ago | Reply All said and heard..whenever I come across an aitchisonian,it only adds in strengthening my observation: they are SNOBS.

Ahmad Tabassum | 10 years ago | Reply Ilyas, actually I take my words back. Just realised what you really meant. You're right, to an extent.

Khan | 10 years ago | Reply Ah. Yes. The criticism. Let's understand a few things. A. One cannot simply criticize a person for wanting to express his appreciation for his Alma-mater. B. As far as the best school goes, yes. That is undoubtedly a questionable statement. But, then again, to each his own. C. Whatever the case, you cannot deny that Aitchison College DOES possess many interesting and unique features along with ample facilities, as well a rich subcontinental heritage, however you may interpret it. D. Yes, it is called an "elitist" school, and whilst that may be true(probably is), other private institutions mentioned in the article also are somewhat more of a "upper-middle class youth" educational institutions considering that their fees also near or sometimes match those of Aitchison. E. Yes, admission are scarce, and they have admitted sons of bureaucrats and politicians a number of times. But do note that this is also because such children have achieved the academic criteria that the college requires because they have been blessed with the means to a good education before their admission. I do sincerely believe that such institutions should not be the center of everybody's attention, and that the public education system needs to badly improve to give the rest of the 80 to 90 percent of the young populace a fair chance at good education and consequently, success in life. And sometimes we people at the 'better end of the town' do overlook this. . PS I am a student of Aitchison.

Ahmad Tabassum | 10 years ago | Reply Ilyas, I think our faculty is by far the best of the lot - our exceptional grades and academic standards speak for themselves. @Umair, how does that relate to this article? The Mumbai Gang rape was committed by a negligible percentage of the Muslim populous. You can't really lay your trust on stereotypes, bro.

Karachiwala | 10 years ago | Reply Following is the oath that every child takes on day in and day out in One of the finest school of Pakistan. Habib Public School. And i feel proud in reproducing it here, as follow:

I, as a Habibian, hereby pledge: To serve God and man according to the tenets of Islam, the true religion. To do my best and sacrifice my all for Pakistan. To do clean thinking and practice honest dealings. To be courageous and to know no fear when truth and right are in peril. To shrink from jealousy and to guard against flippancy and irreverence.<

The school is full of academic and athletic history. Many known politician raza rabbani, hussain haqqani, Hasan sardar, Tapal.(i am missing alot- check the school website).etc are the shining stars of school. We do have our own fraternity "Ex Habibians", and its not by invitation but it becomes a part of your blood. Who ever you are, which ever sect you belong from..we learn to be a Pakistani, and join hands as Habibians! Even though as boys, we fight a lot while in school but to the outsiders we always united. As a Habibian, i do not recall any fight that we have lost. Be the fight of swimming, hockey, cricket, debate, gymnastic..or be it hand to hand with others!

ahmad | 10 years ago | Reply i heard Shahrukh Jatoi was also an aitchisonian

ALAMGIRIAN | 10 years ago | Reply o my poor dear young writer, clearly you need to look outside the boundary walls of your Alma mater to arrive at good position to judge things and make statement, i would urge you to give some of your time to gain knowledge about Colleges like Military College Jhelum, Sarai Alamgir to know how a under privileged and kids from poor background are groomed to lead men in battle field as officer, it will surely open your mind and horizon Regards

Ex-Aitchisonian | 10 years ago | Reply No school should be deemed the 'best' merely on virtue of how many ministers or celebrities it has graduated. By that account, KGS wins by a mile any way. The true measure of an institution is its teachers and the values they inculcate. What made Aitchison special for me, at least under principal Shamim Khan was that it taught me to be responsible. One could be the son of an industrialist, MNA, MPA or the scion of an ultra-landed family but within the walls of the school all were treated equally. In many instances of misconduct, students who thought bigshot daddy or chacha or pupha could save them from expulsion were dealt with and chucked out if need be. Of late, many of the brightest teachers have left the institution for various reasons so I wouldn't say it has the best quality of education. Even sports, which used to be the highlight of the school have deteriorated. BUT I have to say we have the best damn campus of any high school in Pakistan.

@deep | 10 years ago | Reply @deep That response was not for you,it was for Mr.Umair and his comment..he brought it up. Similar cooperation was seen in the delhi case too in a 5:1 ratio..remember the juvenile who was vicious..the one who used the tyre iron ?

chatha | 10 years ago | Reply Haters keep on hating. AC zindabad

Junaid Noon | 10 years ago | Reply I meant chudhry nisaar khan is from Aitchison????? Doesn't seem like so at all!

Tughral T Ali | 10 years ago | Reply I can understand the proud sentiments of the writer, but its always a mistake to make such a big claim as being the best. Different people have different definitions of what makes an educational institution the best. I take great pride in being an aitichisonian, and if I have a son I will prefer to send him to Aitchison as well.. but equally all educational institutions have their plus and negative points. Just one last point: I know many aitchisonians who fail miserably at the "gentleman" measure. That claim made me cringe.

Nida | 10 years ago | Reply Alumni from KGS don't have to write long articles trying to convince people why we are the best.

ilyas | 10 years ago | Reply its unfortunate that this article was writtten, more unfortunate that it was printed and the comments, well most of them last nail in th coffin. character building comes from good teachers and not from buildings. resolve to remain truthful comes from those leading by examples and not from huge acres the schools are built over. I also once cherished the very large school i went to. But having grown up my most cherished memories are the golden words of my teachers and not vast expanse our school was sperad over. When the good teachers left, the school that produced the best citizens (they were equally good professionals) may have produced better professionals but the trait of decadnace also became prominent. Its extremly disappointing that we are just comparing and not simply competing, we want to be winners and not just good sportspeople. Like it was said about England that we have become fen of stagnent waters or a nation of shopkeepers. Quaid e Azam Allma Iqbal Sahibzada Yaqoob Khan, etc. etc must be turning and tossing in their graves today.

deep | 10 years ago | Reply @@Umair: Can you just own your criminals as well regardless of religion and let this poor bloke write about this school he obviously admires?

Ahmad Tabassum | 10 years ago | Reply Oh please. No school can compare to Aitchison's history, or its level of ingenuity. That I can assure you (and no, Mr. Abu Bakr, but GCU is not slightly comparable to the 127 years of excellence that Aitchison College has provided to students). Now all of you are going to say that this article is 'biased, just because the writer is an Aitchisonian', or that 'your school is better', but trust me, you should really visit Aitchison College for a day. You know, spend a day in the vicinity of our college. And ignore all the stereotypes that the other schools create about us. An excellent piece of article, I must say Ali. Reminds me of a saying by our Principal "You are Aitchisonians. You don't show off. You don't need to show off". Likewise, the Article speaks for itself. Great job. :D

Haroon | 10 years ago | Reply There weren't many comments encouraging the writer, but too many 1ups... typical. I enjoyed reading the article and think the writer should continue to support his arguments as to why his respective college ranks so highly and post them. Don't let the haters deter you!

Rehan Saigol | 10 years ago | Reply I find it hard to believe that Ch Nisar is an Aitchisonian! I'm an Aitchisonian myself. Ignoring the current students at Aitchison, all I can say is that back then people who studies at Aitchison had class! Money doesn't buy class! Now people like Ayaz Sadiq, Imran Khan have class. Not Ch Nisar! I think the writer corrected his mistake of mentioning him.

@Umair | 10 years ago | Reply @ Umair The recent mumbai gangrape you're refering to of the photojournalist,was done by five young men,four of who,were muslim boys..a fine example of hindu muslim co-operation.

Gulshan Boizz | 10 years ago | Reply The City School, Gulshan Campus, Karachi. Best school in Pakistan. Notable alumni include.......well you won't know them, because we are very indie.

Ace | 10 years ago | Reply Only the elite can dream of going to these schools.

Saad | 10 years ago | Reply Competitively ranking schools in Pakistan is the very reason the middle and lower class are unable to afford quality education. Why not standardize all schools to the same level and then boast about the education quality in the whole of Pakistan?

Saim | 10 years ago | Reply I see complexes here....superiority and inferiority....nothing moderate. Studying in any great institute doesn't make you great, its what you deliver to humanity that makes you great. If you have delivered something worthy, your school will be proud of you. No need to, fight whether Aitchison is great or not...that has no real meaning in real life.

Umair | 10 years ago | Reply It's amazing how much negativity this article is getting! What's wrong with a guy praising his alma mater? I'm sure every one of you would have similar comments regarding your schools. I'm also amused at what vijay gupta had to say, especially his first point. Making that statement is like someone saying 'India is a country where women get raped and killed everyday for sport' after reading about recent gang rapes in India. Get some perspective bro. Don't make every issue an 'Indo Pak boxing of the keyboard' as Prabhjyot Singh Madan said.

Aqqas | 10 years ago | Reply Ch Nisarr!!! Oh please, scratch him off the list! Read about his fiasco with Anne W patterson(wiki leak.) Aichison is only home to pompous boys with money. Otherwise Nawaz Sharif's grandson is also studying there, and hes known for being not even slightly good in. Studies.. . We. All know how these people, including our "honorable' interior minister get admision into this college.

Imran Khan | 10 years ago | Reply The mere fact of how many people have come out to discourage your writing and responded negatively is a testament to the greatness of Aitchison College !!

Syed M. Qasim Ahsan (13939) | 10 years ago | Reply I commend your love for your school, but this article sounds showy. You're an Aitchisonian, have some class yaar.

Hassan | 10 years ago | Reply As an ACian, I'm glad someone wrote about our glorious institution, and considering the level of negativity this article has been getting, I'd like to elaborate on some points here: Does anyone know why Facebook became so popular in its early days? It was the 'exclusivity' it offered. And when it went public, people just couldn't resist signing up. The same is true for Aitchison too. Its true that up till a few years ago, it admitted children from elite families ONLY, but its not like that anymore. If you can't get in these days, chances are, you aren't bright enough. Simple. The author doesn't need to name ALL the illustrious people to prove that its alumni body is the best. If you know idiots from AC, then it tells more about your circle of acquaintances than it does about the institution itself. As for scholars, ACians are normally applying for foreign universities, with LUMS as their backup. Consider that foreign unis grant admission to suitable all-round applicants, and your query has been answered. If you haven't been fortunate enough to spend some time at Aitchison, then you can never understand why it is the best. Its about the feelings it invokes inside you. So don't talk about what you don't know. And oh, if you think that because Aitchison is boys-only and hence NOT the best, ask Cambridge University why AC was the first school from Pakistan to be included in the honourary advisory board for O/A Levels.

pinky | 10 years ago | Reply Pervez khattak is aitchisonian too, right?

Prabhjyot Singh Madan | 10 years ago | Reply Nice blog. All alumni should be proud of their almamater. No indo pak boxing of the keyboard here. Education and by that I mean a non discriminatory curriculum for all Pakistanis should be taught and the government can entice the poor children to attend school in villages by proving afternoon meal for free. The poor family will definately send these children to government schools. It is implemented here in india with huge success and some tragedies too alas. But no-one is perfect. We try though with a good heart. Rab rakha

adnan | 10 years ago | Reply Military college jehlum is best institution. it enrolls students purely on merit.

Taimoor | 10 years ago | Reply Why have you been rejected by aitchison?@Talal:

Baloch | 10 years ago | Reply Do Visit Cadet College Petaro. Runway being used as parade ground. 8 Hostels. 7 large Grounds, 4 basketball courts, one swimming pool, riding club, shooting club, Cinema, 2-Cafetaria, Glass squash courts. Fair Price Shop, Fruit Shop, Cobbler shop, Butcher shop, tailor shop. more than 1500 staff. it occupies an area of 300 acres. "With a lighter note it also produces the finest brains such as ASIF ALI ZARDARI .

p | 10 years ago | Reply dude i thing u dont know Sadiq Public School then..one of the best school in every aspect

aqib | 10 years ago | Reply Does this 'SCHOOL' produce the most 'SCHOLARS'....supposed to be primary objective.

ramish | 10 years ago | Reply i know many idiots from aitchison

Whoops | 10 years ago | Reply Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan ...'finest gentlemen'...!! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha...I can't breathe...gasp gasp...hahahaha...

Hamaad | 10 years ago | Reply Umm - ever heard of St. Patrick's, Karachi ? the school has an equally distinguished alumni list across all breadths of life - sports, politics, corporates ... not to mention the highly egalitarian culture and the grounding in good values that the school insists on. Let's hold off a bit on these unfounded sentiments of superiority.

MK | 10 years ago | Reply Aitchison has a beautiful campus, with so much history and elegance. However, it is often rightly criticised as being an elitist school. Not sure it's "the best" school - and why are we so eager to rank anything as "the best"? Education - whether it be a school or b school, at any place has certain virtues. Education is "the best" when the students are committed, creative and eager to learn!

Nawaz Sharif | 10 years ago | Reply So the best school in Pakistan does not allow Female admission. Hmmm......

Alumnus | 10 years ago | Reply "You are Aitchisonians, you don't need to brag" - The Prince

Ayesha | 10 years ago | Reply cute! :)

Usman | 10 years ago | Reply If you've got haters, you must be doing something right. Around 3000 people give the admissions test for Aitchison and 150 get in. The rest live in a complex their entire life

Rayan | 10 years ago | Reply Abbottabad Public School is the best.... :)

Pappu | 10 years ago | Reply I am proud to be Ravian. Aitchison may have produced politicians and bureaucrats but Govt College Lahore ( now GCU) has produced Great people.

vijay gupta | 10 years ago | Reply a) Dozens of India's boarding schools beat Aitchison College hands down. You CANNOT run a decent school that imparts the best of lireral modern values combined with the best of those from the old world in the midst of a bigoted, feudal, militaristic set up that has managed to get rid of most of its minorities, and now wants to turn chunks of their co-religionists into minorities. b) Despite this glittering array of upmarket schools, India takes pride in the fact that its best brains are often produced amongst the middle class and underprivilaged, nurtured by an excellent system of State schools and univs.

Talal | 10 years ago | Reply I thought in Aitchison you cannot get admission unless you come from a 'big' family or have important sources? Very Pakistani ;-)

muhammad khan afridi | 10 years ago | Reply One can surely agree or disagree on Aitchison college being the best institution in the country or otherwise, but let us also not forget Islamia college Peshawar and Islamia collegiate school,Peshawar, they both have also inspired many and have given many leaders to this country.

Britpak | 10 years ago | Reply "There is no doubt that Aitchison competes with many great institutes for the title “Best School in Pakistan”. But if given the opportunity, would I choose to attend any one of them? Absolutely not." lol, pakistani toffs. Education needs to be democratized in Pakistan. Its as simple as that. You may go to the best school in Pakistan (whatever that means), but i guarantee you the best minds remain outside of these schools, probably working at some brick factory or the streets of Karachi, Lahore..etc because their parents cannot afford to send them to any kind of school whatsoever. So its really nothing to boast about. I know this will sting some, but it is the harsh truth.

Saim | 10 years ago | Reply If there is any school & any college that should be proud then those are Govt. High School Jhang and Govt College Lahore (now GC University) for being Producing one of the finest and most intelligent brains in the WORLD, Dr. AbdusSalam. What does Ch. Nisar, Bugti and Adnan Sami sell ??

Rakhshanda | 10 years ago | Reply someone please contribute 7 reasons why this is the most pretentious blog in pakistan.

Muhammad | 10 years ago | Reply I know some plus and some negatives of Aitchison but just after reading the first para I decided not to read any more about the college....if the writer ranks, Ch. Nisar, Bugti, Adnan Sami and so as the FINEST GENTLEMEN and Aitchison has any claim on them, then there is a lot to be explained by Aitchison.

sana | 10 years ago | Reply "The school’s traditions and philosophy of what it means to succeed, may not always produce better scholastic rankings than other premier schools such as LGS or KGS but it does result in the Aitchisonian having a broader breadth of experience and more rounded (some might even say more charismatic) personality." LOL.

choclet | 10 years ago | Reply next! any ladies from kinnaird?

Abubakar | 10 years ago | Reply Clearly shows the lack of knowledge of the writer. Totally Biased !!! this whole article makes Aitchison a Good school but not the best school. Compare it to GCU or FCC both will beat it. Too immature !!! BTW I am also from Aitchison and to be honest its a good place to study but not the best. GCU building is way beautiful than Aichison, this will make GCU the best college of Pakistan??

faraz | 10 years ago | Reply "An Aitchisonian exudes a well-cultivated air of confidence without appearing conceited" Hahahaha

Asad | 10 years ago | Reply While these are some extremely positive aspects of the school, I do not believe that, at least in this day and age, and school that does not provide its many opportunities to both the sexes can be considered one of the finest institutions in the country.

Shamy | 10 years ago | Reply I can give you 10 reasons why Karachi Grammar is the best.

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ

7 reasons why Aitchison College is the best school in Pakistan

More by this writer

FOLLOW US