BAHAWALPUR: Vice Chancellor, Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB), Engr Prof Dr Athar Mahboob said that the varsity was the only general category university of Pakistan to do extensive research in the field of agriculture.
Talking to reporter here on Thursday, he told that Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the university and appreciated the agriculture research work of university faculty. Prime Minister also termed Islamia University Bahawalpur to be a role model for other universities of the country. He told that development projects worth approximately Rs 12 billion were initiated during the last 2 years to improve the infrastructure of the university and to provide the missing facilities.
He said that more than 115, 000 applications have been received for Fall 2021 in-take which is evident of students’ confidence in the institution. Vice-Chancellor told that the university has introduced new programs in the domain of health including flagship programs of Doctor of Physiotherapy, BS Nursing, BS Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Medical Laboratory Technology. He told that a large number of students from Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions have applied for admission to the university and at present students belonging to all four provinces of Pakistan and Gilgit Baltistan are studying at the university.
He said that it was not desirable on the university’s part to burden the students but to meet the ever-increasing costs, it was inevitable. However, Vice-Chancellor told that almost 12000 students of the university are availing scholarships including 6000 enrolled in Ehsaas Scholarship Program.
He told that the university’s Directorate of Financial Assistance is finding new scholarships for the students to accommodate and facilitate more students. “Unfortunately, Bahawalpur was cut aside from Motorway and no new industries were installed in the region lately but under such circumstances, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur generated economic activities of various levels and gave job opportunities to the youth of the area”, he added.
He further told that 2000 recruitment were done during the last 2 years at the university including 600 teaching faculty and 1400 supporting staff and officers.
He told that residents of Bahawalpur who were serving in other areas of the country have started to come back to their hometown and joined the Islamia University of Bahawalpur.
He said that with establishing of sub-campuses in Ahmedpur East and Liaquatpur, the people of those areas will observe positive changes in their areas and the regions will develop into cosmopolitan.