ATTOCK, Oct 10: The federal government has allocated Rs472 million for the construction of first phase of Comsats Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) Attock University, which will provide access to higher education to students of the disadvantaged class in remote and backward Attock district.

Thus was stated by minister of state Malik Amin Aslam at a gathering at CIIT campus. He said the campus was being made IT University in phases which would cost Rs3 billion, and for the first phase Rs472 million had been allocated.

Besides government officials, educationists, students and faculty members, rector Comsats SM Junaid Zaidi was also present at the on the occasion.

He said the objective of the project was to provide higher IT education facilities to more then 2000 students.

Furthermore, the university in future would offer courses in electronic engineering with specialization in avionics engineering and communication, management, economics, finance, social sciences, etc.

The project envisages establishing physical and academic infrastructure and will have computer lab, microprocessor lab, and general-purpose lab, advance electronic lab, communication lab and advance computer lab.

Mr Aslam said basic aim of the IT Institute at Attock was to train district’s human resource in the fields of information and engineering technologies and applied sciences.

The up gradation project is being made part of government’s initiative for strengthening higher education facilities /infrastructure in Pakistan.

Appreciating the three year performance of CIIT Attock he said that so far 117 students graduated in three batches, and all of them got jobs in different government and private institutions.

In a presentation, Director, CIIT Attock, Dr Mohammad Azeem said the Punjab government had allotted 300 kanals, free of cost, to the CIIT for the IT university.

Master plan of the project consists of six academic blocks, three boys and two girls hostels, administration block, central library, auditorium and residential area.

He said presently CIIT was offering bachelors of computer sciences/business administration, masters of computer sciences/ business administration at Attock Campus with 90 per cent of the students belonged to Attock district.

CIIT Attock has so far provided financial assistance of more than Rs16 million to the students on merit/need basis, while district government Attock is also providing scholarships equal to 50 per cent of tuition fee to students of this district and has so far provided more than Rs15.6 million in this regard.

Speaking on the occasion, Rector Comsats SM Junaid Zaidi said that CIIT focussing on the delivery of new ideas, products and services through research, development and education and its mission is to educate students to develop the skills to achieve their professional goals, improve the productivity of their organization and provide leadership and service to the community.