Governor Punjab and Chancellor Engr Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman has said that the higher education sector is one of the priorities of the government and rapid steps are being taken to provide quality education to remote areas. The development and expansion of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) are commendable and soon the campus of the university will be established in Hasilpur. Governor Punjab expressed these views during a meeting with VC IUB Prof Dr Athar Mahboob at Governor House Lahore. He said that along with enhancing the quality of education, it was very important to provide access to higher education to the youth. The present government wants to bring higher education opportunities to the doorsteps of the youth by opening university campuses in far-flung areas. In this regard, the steps taken by the Islamia University of Bahawalpur for the establishment of Ahmadpur East and Liaquatpur campuses are welcome.
He asked the Vice-Chancellor to prepare an immediate plan for setting up a university campus in Hasilpur as well. On the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor apprised the Governor of Punjab about the details of the plan to increase rainfall and establish an agro-economic zone in Cholistan through the latest meteorological system. The Governor Punjab said that the plan put forward by the Islamia University of Bahawalpur for increasing the rainfall rate over an area of 6.6 million km of Cholistan is very useful. On the one hand, this project will significantly increase the agricultural area and it will be easier to deal with the challenges facing food security. On the other hand, the locals of Cholistan will also be prosperous. He said that all possible help would be provided by the Chancellor’s Office to make the special system of increasing rainfall practical.
On that occasion, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Athar Mahboob briefed the Governor of Punjab about the research being done in the field of agriculture. He said that a soybean and maize cultivation project with the help of stripe intercropping technology has been developed with the help of Sichuan Agricultural University of China. The project will save billions of rupees in foreign exchange spent on poultry feed and edible oil imports. That is why this project has been included in the main projects of CPEC. In cotton research, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur has achieved international status and the varieties of cotton introduced by the university are being cultivated in 50% of the area.
The Vice Chancellor also apprised the Governor of Punjab about the ongoing teaching and development activities in the university. He said that preparations for the upcoming convocation were underway and requested the Governor Punjab to preside over it. On this occasion, the Vice Chancellor also extended a special invitation to the Governor of Punjab to attend the National Seerat Conference. Governor Punjab Engr. Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman said that he would soon visit the Islamia University of Bahawalpur and take personal interest in the development and welfare of the university as in the past.
