TAXILA: University of Engineering and Technology Taxila (UET) has finalized a plan to establish an architecture engineering department, a step towards reviving a 2,500-year-old Buddhist University.

This was stated by UET Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Niaz Ahmad while briefing newsmen about the project. Prof Niaz said that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved the PC-1 of the Gandhara School project, and the ground breaking ceremony was expected to be carried out in January.

He said the project would cost Rs350 million, and the department would offer admissions in BSc architecture engineering from fall 2017.

He said as the department would be a centre of attraction for the foreign students, researchers and scholars from across the globe especially from the Buddhist countries, a hostel meant only for foreigners would also be established.

Vice Chancellor Dr Niaz Ahmad said that the centre would be supervised by civil engineering department of the university, which would liaise with the international universities, Buddhist religious scholars and researchers on Gandhara civilization.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2016