£190m NCA proceeds to be used to establish Daanish university in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The prime minister on Tuesday said the government had decided to establish a most modern university while utilising the amount of £190 million received from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) that would offer advanced knowledge and mentorship on novel subjects like artificial intelligence, technology and other modern subjects and would start first session in August 2026.

In a meeting of the steering committee of Daanish University of Applied and Emerging Sciences, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed that the amount of £190 million amount, returned to Pakistan by the NCA, has been transferred to the federal government’s account by the Supreme Court and it would be spent on the construction of Daanish university in Islamabad.

The prime minister thanked the Chief Justice of Pakistan for transferring the amount. He said the Daanish University would impart deserving and capable students with education based on high-level research. He directed the completion of legal requirements for acquiring land for the university in Islamabad as soon as possible and also instructed the swift finalisation of the university’s charter and other legal matters. Shehbaz instructed to make the university an internationally standard technical and applied university. He said the university building should reflect simplicity and it should be constructed with red bricks, and no unnecessary expenses should be incurred to minimise costs.

He said the university would be equipped with all tools related to modern technology and advanced research, while its curriculum should be designed to meet modern and international standards. The prime minister instructed the formation of a search committee for the appointment of the university’s vice-chancellor and a committee for the nominations of the board of trustees. The meeting was informed that the Prime Minister of Pakistan would be the patron of the Daanish University.

All necessary formalities would be completed in the next few days for the registration of the university, while a piece of land in Sector H-16 has been selected for the mega educational project. The university affairs would be managed under the Daanish Trust to ensure financial autonomy and minimise government interference. It was further told that the foundation stone for Daanish schools would also be laid in Shigar, Gilgit and Bagh. Daanish schools would also be established in Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir and underprivileged areas of Karachi.

The cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Overseas Pakistanis, approved the appointment of Engineer Syed Musarat Hussain as the CEO of Pakistan Real Estate Investment & Management Company (Private) Limited.