Manzoor Hussain, a Pakistani-born engineer and lecturer, has died aged 88. He arrived in the UK in 1960 and later became the first Muslim councillor in Watford, Hertfordshire. He also helped establish the town's first mosque and provided educational and welfare guidance to the local Muslim community.
Early life and education
Hussain was born in Nala Musalmana, a village on the edge of the Pothohar plateau in Punjab, then British India. He attended Denny's high school in Rawalpindi and became the first person from his village to attend university, earning a degree in maths and physics from Gordon College. After moving to the UK, he obtained an HND in electronic engineering from Luton College of Technology and qualified as a chartered engineer. He worked for various firms across southeast England before deciding to pursue teaching in 1972. The following year, he received a certificate of education from Victoria University of Manchester, and in 1979 added a degree in electronic engineering from Oxford Polytechnic.
Teaching career
By 1982, Hussain was a senior lecturer in engineering at Acton Technical College. When the institution became part of Ealing Tertiary College, he served as head of its engineering department until his retirement in 1996.
Community and political involvement
Hussain was a strong believer in civic duty. He represented the Labour party in Watford's Vicarage ward from 1984 to 1988, becoming the town's first Muslim councillor. He also served on the executive committee of Watford Community Relations Council from 1982 to 1986, was a governor of Watford Grammar School from 1990 to 1994, and chaired Watford and District Fabian Society from 1984 to 1994.
Legacy in Pakistan
Hussain did not forget his home village. Along with his brother Muhammad Aslam and other clan members, he successfully lobbied for a permanent road to Nala Musalmana and electrification of the area. He also raised funds for a girls' high school, a clinic, and a hospital in the village.
Personal life
He supported and guided relatives who arrived in the UK, helping them settle. He appreciated the UK's rule of law and egalitarian values, and was proud that subsequent generations succeeded in fields including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law, IT, and teaching. In 1966, he married Mubarik Begum, a teacher. She survives him, along with their sons Faisal and the writer of this obituary, and five grandchildren.
