First phase of Haripur varsity building completed

PESHAWAR: The first phase of the state-of-the art building for Haripur University has completed at a cost of Rs1.2 billion and work on the second phase would be started soon after the issuance of funds by the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, and the provincial government.
“The new building is comprised of 48 class rooms with a capacity of accommodating 10,000 students. Sixteen libraries, a video conference hall, eight lecture theaters, 60 offices for teachers and as many for administrative officers have also been set up in the new building,” said vice-chancellor of the university Prof Dr Naser Ali Khan, while talking to The News here on Thursday.
He said that a PC-I of Rs 960 million for the second phase of the university building had already been submitted to the HEC, but funds for the project could not be released even after two years. In the second phase a residential colony for the university employees and hostels for the students would be constructed, he said.
“A revised PC-I of Rs 320 million was submitted to the provincial government and an application has been forwarded to the provincial government to provide funds for the project under a non-ADP scheme,” Dr Naser said.
He said that the first phase of the building was completed within a record time of 15 months. “But now equipment for the laboratories and other facilities are required, which would be arranged soon after the issuance of funds by the government for the purpose,” he said.
The vice-chancellor announced to open four new departments in the university from the next academic session. “We have made merit our top priority and all the recruitments in the university are made purely on merit,” he said, adding, the university’s selection board is comprised of three retired secretaries and a former inspector general of police.
Dr Naser, who is a prominent academician and economic expert of the province, informed that the ratio of female students in the university was 35 percent, who come from the surrounding villages of the university and other parts of the district.
He said that the university has purchased six buses from indigenous resources to facilitate the students. He highlighted the importance of universities in the development of a country and a nation. He said that the geo-strategic importance of Haripur district would soon make the area a hub of business and economic activities.
With the establishment of China-Pakistan-Economic Corridor, trade and industrial activities in the district would be promoted. In such a situation, establishment of a proper linkage between universities and industrial units is the most important need of the time and they were taking steps in this regard, he remarked.
He said that the information technology programme in the university was very successful and they have also launched BSc in software engineering. “Soon a two-year skill development programme would be initiated,” he added.
About facilities to the students and teachers of the university, the vice-chancellor said that despite their limited resources, scholarships worth Rs 33 million were being provided. More than 10,000 books have been arranged in the university library. He further said that 50 out of the total 150 faculty members of the university are PhD degree holders.