Education revolution: Govt plans to set up new varsity in Baltistan

Nawaz Sharif’s promise to be fulfilled, says G-B education minister

GILGIT: The government of Gilgit-Baltistan is in consultation with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to establish a separate university in the Baltistan region of Gilgit-Baltisan (G-B), the state’s minister for education said on Wednesday.

“I recently had a detailed meeting with the HEC chairman and have sorted out many details about the university,” Ibrahim Sanai said about his meeting in Islamabad.

The establishment of Baltistan University was one of the promises made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during the Gilgit-Baltistan elections – which were swept by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in June 2015.

“You can say there has been a breakthrough and now we will have work speeded up,” said Sanai while talking to reporters.

He hoped the university would spark a revolution in the field of education once it becomes operational.

People will have higher education at their doorstep, he said, adding it will also make education easy for women who otherwise had to face hardships in other cities.

After Gilgit, Baltistan is the second biggest region of G-B, with four out of 10 districts. It already has a sub-campus of Karakoram International University (KIU).

Earlier this week, G-B Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman said that the federal government released Rs2 billion for the establishment of Baltistan University.

He said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has fulfilled his promise to the public by doing so.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2016.