Buzdar inaugurates women’s university

Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar on Friday inaugurated Viqar-un-Nisa University for Women, formally elevating the historical government institute’s status from a college of the cantonment city.

CM Buzdar said that with an increase of 29 per cent in the education budget and 21 new universities being built in Punjab, the government was delivering on its promise to promote higher education and that the Higher Education Department of the provincial government was working diligently to categorise and rank universities.

The ceremony was attended by the first Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Dr Zahida Parveen, Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, Law Minister Punjab Basharat Raja, Minister for Higher Education Punjab Yasir Humayun, National Assembly member Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Provincial Parliament Secretary Adnan Chaudhry, and all members of the provincial assembly.

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Speaking on the occasion, CM Buzdar said that along with offering scholarships worth Rs1 billion, Seerat Chairs have also been established in six universities of Punjab with plans of doing the same in more educational institutions.

Federal Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad also expressed pleasure over the upgrade of the college to a women's university.

Minister for Higher Education Punjab Yasir Humayun pledged that at least one university will be set up in every district of Punjab. He further said that the onus of a nation’s development lies in its higher education.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2021.