Mayor of Istanbul receives honorary PhD from GCU

Mayor Dr Topbas says degree a great privilege and honour for him.

LAHORE: Government College University (GCU) on Monday conferred an honorary doctorate degree on the Mayor of Istanbul, Dr Kadir Topbas, for his services to strengthen and consolidate Pak-Turk friendship.

Dr Tobpas, who is on a two-day official visit to Lahore, was awarded the honorary degree during a ceremony at Bokhari Auditorium of GCU on Monday.

Members of the Turkish delegation, Education Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, vice chancellors of King Edward Medical University (KEMU) and University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, academia, and members of provincial cabinet were present at the ceremony.

While addressing the ceremony after receiving the degree, Dr Topbas said, “It is a great privilege and honour for me to be awarded an honorary degree by an institution that has produced many prime ministers, chief ministers, leading artists, philosophers, social scientists and scientists.”

He also wore the traditional robe of GCU, which was presented to him by the GCU’s vice chancellor and education minister.

“This degree is a shining beacon of Pak-Turk cultural relationships. This is the highest honour I could have ever imagined. I am very happy to become a member of the alumni of this historic institution,” he said.

He announced that every year, 15 students from GCU would be accommodated in Istanbul universities to pursue higher studies. “Lahore and Istanbul are two significant cities, not just for their countries but for the whole world. They have been catering to great artists, writers and intellectuals for ages and ages. These cities are hubs of cultural activities and have attracted people across the world,” he said.

Dr Tobpas said that the research papers produced by scholars in universities shouldn’t be left to rot, rather they should devise solutions for problems faced by people in the society.

He said that the modern age is all about technology and universities are the places where technology is shaped, hence more investment should be done in universities and research.