ZULQARNAIN JAMIL AALI a. k. a RAJU JAMIL or ARJAY
Bearing the requests of a fairly large number of GS members in mind..I would like to fully introduce myself to this august forum. At the outset, I must mention here that I became a member of GS by merely an issue pointed by my very close–almost a family member friend Humayun Saeed’s wife Samina when she was the topic of some discussion on some thread.
Nevertheless, here goes;
My full and passport name is ZULQARNAIN JAMIL AALI. My family name is Sahabzada Azizuddin Ahmed Khan (rarely used) on my father’s real uncle.
I was born at Goolbai Maternity Home, Karachi (bang opposite to now… Bambino Cinema off M.A. Jinnah Road) at 4:45 AM of 14th August, 1949 to Jamiluddin Aali and Tayyaba Bano.
We are five brothers and sisters (three bros and two sis). Eldest is my sister Humaira who heads Beaconhouse at Gulshan campus. She has been with Beaconhouse since 35 years now…having opened Faisalabad and Peshawar branches. Naseer is younger to me. He is a banker–a Vice President at a local bank in Karachi. Rabia also heads Beaconhouse at one of the Gulshan Campus branches. The youngest…Murad is an Archietect at Islamabad and runs his own firm. He is listed as one of the top Archietects of Pakistan.
**I did my initial schooling at the Happy Home under the aegis of Mrs. Maryam Farooqui at Jamshed Road Karachi. However, from class 4th I left HHS at Shaheed e Millat Road and took admission at the CANTT. PUBLIC SCHOOL near Cantt Railway Station. Did my matriculation from there in 1967. Joined S.M.College..did my Intermediate from there and shifted to National College on Shaheed e Millat Road. Did my graduation with 3rd Division in 1971 and applied for Sales Promotion Officer’s post at PIA. Got selected but opted out and instead, in September-71 got selected as Trainee Officer at the Habib Bank Limited. Took six months training and got posted at Defence Society Branch as Supervisor.. then got transferred to Hotel Metropole Branch as 2nd Officer. In Nov-1973, I was spotted by Agha Hasan Abedi and I. H. Burney, President & Joint President of United Bank Limited.. who offered me a higher grade but HBL held me back. **
**Finally I joined UBL in June-1974 as Officer Incharge at its main Chundrigar Road Branch, Karachi. **
I started my showbiz/TV career purely as an extra-curricular activity…on 28 Nov-1967 when I did my first ever play “JAHAN BARAF GIRTI HAI” under the series titled “MERI PASANDEEDA KAHANI” produced by Ameer Imam after passing the audition. I am listed as the first top ten TV Drama Artiste of PTV-Karachi. Got my first award as BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR in KHUDA KI BASTI at Rio Cinema Hall in an unofficial ceremony by TYFOON-Pakistan in Jan-1970.
I got married to my childhood neighbor of Garden Road Colony; Naheed, in March-1976 and in May I was transferred to UBL’s Bahrain Branch at Overseas. I remained in Bahrain till Nov-1981 and got posted back to Karachi. Our first born is Sara, April-77, second Maria, Oct-80 and third Khaula, Aug-83. Sara & Maria are married. Sara is a mom now.. therefore me a Nana as well. All my three daughters did their schooling from Beaconhouse-Clifton till O-levels then at Karachi Grammar School for A-levels and finally majoring in Communication Designing at the Indus valley School of Arts & Archietecture…where the eldest teaches now..while no.2 teaches at the Karachi Grammar and the youngest is a free lancer and assists Advertising Companies on productions (her best being WARID advert. by Annoushey) None of them took to showbiz despite repeated offers.
My wife heads the Junior Wing of Karachi Grammar School as Asst.Headmistress of KG Wing.
Back at Karachi I opened UBL’s Khayyaban e Shamsheer Branch at DHA-Phase V as its first Manager. In 1982 Sept I got posted as Manager UBL Hotel Intercontinental Branch (Now Pearl Continental) from where I has hand picked by MASHREQBANK as Asst. Country Manager for its DOHA-QATAR Branch. During my 3.5 years stay at QATAR, I organized the first ever Qatar Interbank Cricket Tournament which was recognized by the Central Bank of Qatar.
During his tour of Qatar, the then President UBL Tajammal Hussain asked me to return to UBL…hence I rejoined UBL as Assistant Vice President at its ABUDHABI Operations as No.2 to the General Manager in Sept-1984…to head four branches (3 in Abudhabi and one in Alain). In 1989 August, I was posted as Executive Incharge Administration and Recoveries at UBL’s Dubai Zone. In Oct-1994 I was transferred to Head Office Karachi as General Manager at the Provincial Headquarters-Sindh for Administration, Planning and Audit Wing…as Vice President.
In Oct-1999 I was hand picked on deputation from UBL… by Mujibur Rahman, Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board as GM Media & PR at Lahore for Pakistan’s tour of Sharjah Coke Trophy and three TESTS and a Triangular at Australia. Came back from the tour in late February-2000 and resumed duties at UBL as AREA MANAGER of 26 branches of PECHS Zone in May-2000 followed by AM-Airport..then AM-FTC then AM-PECHS & AIRPORT both.
**On 9th June-2004, I was selected by the President-UBL to head the largest REGION of UBL in Pakistan…KARACHI as its Regional Chief Executive (95 Branches)…the assignment which will end on 31st December-2007 after which I go to Head Office as Divisional Head Liability, Product, Network Planning and Corporate Communications Division. **I am currently Senior Vice President on grade…since 1st Jan-2005.
I have traveled extensively to the Gulf, Yemen, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, Scotland, Denmark, Holland, France, USA, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Nepal, Egypt, Saudi Arabia…(did Hajj in 1977 and several Umrah in 1988, 89 and 2006). Never been to India…my father’s birthplace Dehli…as yet. My ancestors hail from Royal family of LOHARU..a 21-Gun State with its own railway station…some 200 Km towards Rajhastan where my grand-dad was the Nawab of Loharu Sir Amiruddin Ahmed Khan who was knighted by King George.
My hobbies are; Cricket, Scrabble, Showbiz and Reading/Writing.
I am basically a fun loving guy…and still 18 at heart! and I do not have an iota of reservation in praising someone of his/her talent and beauty and charm. This is my way to thank ALLAH for such people being in this world.
My weakness is to help anyone who is in need of assistance for which I go out of the way even…(pretty silly though!)
My favorite dish is KAALI MAASH KI DAAL and NIHARI (only of SABRI or Dehli Nihari House-Dubai)
I am very strict on ROZA. since the age of 8 I have never left a single ROZA… (Allah barqaraar rakhay…A’meen)
On PAK-SHOWBIZ…I have done 385 Plays, Serials, Series, Compering and Participations on TV at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Quetta.
On Stage; I have done over 42 plays of which 30 were in English (best being…LOOK BACK IN ANGER & ARMS & THE MEN) at Karachi, Bahrain, qatar, Dubai and Cairo.
**Have done Urdu stage plays at Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Lahore.
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**Have done only ONE movie “Beyond the Last Mountain” directed by my school mate Javed Jabbar in 1973.
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**Have assisted Zia Moheyuddin in his famous show “ZIA SHOW” of PTV-K for three months…(1973).
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**I manage four website/yahoogroups on Cricket, Trivia, My Loharu family, My School Alumni of Cantt. Public and my Garden Road Colony Neighbors of 50’s.
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**Have regularly contributed in IMAGES of DAWN, INSTEP of THE NEWS and MAG.
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Have been the Secretary of my residential complex BON VISTA’s Managing Committee since 1994.
That’s all I am…and hope to remain the same.
Your prayers always needed.
Khush rahein…
-Raju Jamil
