Daily Times

LAHORE: Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiqul Farooq Sunday said a committee had been formed to establish the Baba Guru Nanak University in Nankana Sahib.

He said that the committee which would come up with recommendations on the matters related to establishment of the university.

Addressing a press conference in this regard, the ETPB chairman said that the committee had been given a time period of four weeks for the task. Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Muhammad Barjees Tahir would be convener of the committee.

Saddiqul Farooq said that the mission which was given by the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was in final phase of its completion and added that he had full support of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, elected representatives of Nankana Sahib and others for setting up the university in Nankana.

He said that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) had been given Rs 1 billion each for Baba Guru Nanak University (BGNU) and Gandhara Heritage International University (GHIU) in 2016-17 budget. “Now, the HEC would give Rs 3 billion each for BGNU and GHIU,” he added.

The chairman said that the university will offer 16 under-graduate degree programmes in the BGNU while four MPhil programmes would be offered in Islamabad.

Barjees Tahir hoped that the committee would complete its work related to the university in the given timeframe and after getting approval from the ETPB, the matter would be forwarded to the federal government.

Saddiqul Farooq said that the setting up of the university would project the positive image of the country, besides bringing a lot of development in Nankana Sahib.

MNA Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, MPA and Special Assistant to Chief Minister Rana Muhammad Arshad, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) President Tara Singh, MPA Ramesh Singh Arora, MPA Malik Zulqarnain Dogar and others were present on the occasion.

Published in Daily Times, October 30^th 2017.