Interfaith inspiration : HEC to establish Baba Guru Nanak University

Establishment aims to portray a softer image of Pakistan to the world

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) in collaboration with Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) is going to establish Baba Guru Nanak International University at Nankana Sahib with estimated cost of Rs1 billion. The aim of the establishment will be to portray a soft image of Pakistan in the world.

The university would help create such an image especially among far eastern countries like Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, Thailand, along with Sikhs and Hindu fraternities, by offering research and academic activities, on the life of Baba Guru Nanak and ancient Gandhara's civilization.

Sources stated that it will also be helpful in promoting religious tourism in Pakistan and will be a source of pride for the Sikhs living across the word. They said that the university will not only help improve the image of the country but will also help in improving the socio-economic and educational condition of the Nankana Sahib district.

The project has been included in Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDP) with an estimated cost of Rs1 billion sharing with Pakistan Evacuee Trust Board (PETB), while Rs200 million have been allocated for current financial year 2017-2018.

Currently, HEC has prepared the draft charters of the university and vetted by its Accreditation and Attestation Division.

The draft charters have been forwarded to the Ministry of Education and Professional Training for further processing. Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has also approved a proposal to utilise its building in Islamabad. It was recommended that the faculties including Sikh Studies, Finance and Building Studies and Faculty of Languages would be established for the proposed university, they added.

After finalising of the building plan by the ETPB for the proposed university and issuance of charter, the project will be prepared and submitted to Planning Commission for approval, sources informed.

HEC has also suggested that prior to the establishment of such a university, a group of eminent international scholars working on Sikh and Buddhism religions should be consulted in order to form a think-tank for other prospective universities of this kind as well as identify the relevant academic research and development programmes on the matter.

Accordingly, on the suggestion of HEC, ETPB constituted an Advisory committee headed by ETPB Chairman and a number of consultative meetings were held to outline the modalities of these types of universities. ETPB Chairman had moved a note for the Prime Minister through the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter faith Harmony Secretary for allocation of 20 Kanals state land in sector H-8 Islamabad, for establishing principal seats of the university in federal capital. In response, HEC informed ETPB that for the establishment of universities, it will have to acquire requisite land in Islamabad for each campus, in consultation with the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2018.