Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that these were not loans and foreign assistance but advancements in the field of science and technology, which made the nation progress, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Speaking at a ceremony held to review the site of the Daanish University of Emerging Sciences at Sector H-16 in Islamabad, PM Shehbaz Sharif said 100 acres of land had been reserved for the university, which, he added, would go on to become a center of learning and research in years to come. “The institution will even compete with renowned universities of the world such as Oxford and Harvard,” he added.
The prime minister said that today was the day to celebrate. “I am feeling extremely happy today,” he added.
He informed that the first section of the university would become functional on August 14, 2026. “We will make the university one of the best institutions in the world,” he vowed.
Shehbaz said that students from all over the country would be able to get admission in the university on merit regardless of their financial status.
Shehbaz Sharif said establishment of Daanish University in Islamabad would not only become a model in the country but would also carve a niche among the world’s top educational centres on basis of quality education, research and development in applied sciences.
Shehbaz said it was a moment of joy for everyone as a piece of land of 100 acres was allocated for the establishment of Daanish University. He said no doubt the country had good educational centres spread across in different provinces, but as far as he remembered, there was no proper research and development educational centre dedicated to the modern applied sciences.
The prime minister expressed the hope that Daanish University could be equal to world-renowned educational institutions like Stanford, Oxford, MIIT and others, adding on August 14, 2026, the first section of the university would be operationalized.
He further informed that the government would have no relation with its functions and administration as it would work autonomously like the PKLI where legislation was made in this regard. PKLI was now functioning in the best way in the healthcare sector.
Students from all over the country would get enrolment in different faculties of the university purely on the basis of merit. A trust would be created and initially, the government would provide Rs10 billion as seed money and later, it would run on the amount collected from fees of wealthy students while the poor students would be assisted.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, ministers, parliamentarians, experts and relevant authorities.
Shehbaz said that names of the board of governors of Daanish University had been finalized so that the brilliant minds could contribute. The campus would be constructed with red facade which would have all the allied facilities, he added.
About functioning of the Daanish schools across Punjab province, he said a large number of orphans and poor students were getting education there. The centres equipped with free education, smart boards, IT laps, dormitories etc. were providing all facilities to the students from backward areas, he added.
He also appreciated teachers who left their well-paid jobs to teach students in far-flung areas at Daanish schools.
The prime minister opined that the immense talent in those areas would have been wasted if the students were not properly educated. He emphasized they could realize the real objectives of a prosperous Pakistan by striving to provide quality education to all.
He also expressed his gratitude to former Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and the incumbent CJP Yahya Afridi for transferring the amount of 190 million pounds to the government’s exchequer which would be utilized for the establishment of Daanish University.
Shehbaz stressed that nations were built on basis of hard work and not by seeking of loans or funds and resolved to strive to make Pakistan a stronger and prosperous country and to realize the ideals of its founder Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Earlier, Minister for Federal Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, in his speech highlighted that the world had changed by achieving modern trends in science and technology.
He promised with the nation and the country that they would work hard to spread education and wisdom for the bright future of the country by undertaking similar initiatives.
The minister said they were laying a foundation of an educational center which would become a model to be emulated by the provinces.
Minister for Planning and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal said that it was a historic day as it coincided with the education- friendly vision of the prime minister.
He said the biggest Global South educational endowment fund was created by Shehbaz Sharif in the form of Daanish schools during his tenure as CM Punjab where students from the backward areas got quality education.
Daanish University would be the next level where they would prepare workforce for the industrial revolution, he said, adding the university would have the facilities to impart education in AI, bio-technology, robotics, space sciences and other emerging technologies through applied research to create a platform to fill the gap between academia and industries.
Ahsan Iqbal said that they would also seek global partnership for the transfer of technology and to ensure that this institution should provide technology leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs.
An amount of190 million pounds which belonged to people of Pakistan and returned by UK NCA from money laundering case, stood transferred to the government, he added.
The minister regretted that a government at that time had misused the amount and thanked the former CJP and current CJP for transferring the amount to the government.
The minister said that the amount would now be spent on the establishment of the state-of-the-art university where the undergraduate students from Daanish schools would get admissions.