Senate chairman briefed on proposed varsity in Balochistan

Islamabad: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday briefed Chairman of the Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on the progress made in establishment of the 'Umer Khan Sanjrani Minerals & Natural Resources University' in Nok Kundi, Chaghi area of Balochistan province.

HEC Executive Director Shaista Sohail along with senior officials called on the Senate Chairman and apprised him that PC-II of the university project had already been approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), a news release said.

The HEC officials informed that services of a consultant had been hired after the tendering process for feasibility study of the construction work.

The consultant would complete the feasibility of the project within a period of one month after visiting the site, reviewing the nature of the construction work and other related matters.

The officials said the Project Review Report would be submitted by January 25, while a final report with regard to commencement of the construction work to be completed by March 5, 2021.

Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani said the university would prove to be a milestone in imparting quality education and producing skilled youth in the field of minerals. He directed the quarters concerned to evolve a practicable strategy for ensuring timely and qualitative completion of the project.

The chairman said establishment of the university would be a unique project, which was being executed on 500 acres of land. Sanjrani was of the view that imparting technical education and producing skilled workforce in a country, rich of mineral resources, like Pakistan was need of the hour. He said such educational institutes would greatly help in provision of required work force at local level for promotion of the minerals sector.

As per the initial assessment, the chairman said, the project would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 6 billion, with coordinated efforts of all the departments concerned. He ordered the completion of all phases of the project as per the given time-frame.