LAHORE: Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed has announced that the Bahauddin Zakriya University (BZU) will award degrees to the students of its sub-campus in Lahore.

The minister, who reached the Lahore campus of the varsity here on Tuesday, assured the students that their academic years would be saved.

“The students of the Lahore campus who have completed their courses will be awarded degrees by the BZU Multan. And those continuing their studies here will be enrolled with the Multan campus,” the minister said.

To resolve the status of the BZU Lahore campus, the minister said the Punjab Assembly Standing Committee would discuss the matter on Friday.

Hundreds of students have been protesting for the last several months for not getting their campus affiliated with the Higher Education Commission. They say their two academic years would go waste if the government fails to intervene. On Monday, the students blocked Canal Road for several hours and threw traffic out of gear.

Rana Mashhood further said such a situation would not arise again as the government would ensure all legal aspects before opening sub campuses of institutions.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2016