ISLAMABAD, Jan 1: Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) chairman Pervez Butt on Tuesday emphasized the need for state-of-the-art educational institutions in the country, saying national development depended on the quality of manpower.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Hamdard University’s new campus, he hoped the varsity would diversify its academic programmes, keeping in view that industrial development spurred economic progress and ushered prosperity and affluence in the country.

It is the industry that leads to the production of value- added goods, creates job opportunities and increases exports, Mr Butt said. “This makes available cheaper indigenously- manufactured quality products, increases purchasing power and gross national product, and in turns help increase budgetary allocation for education, health, people’s welfare and defence needs”, he added.

Paying tributes to late Hakeem Mohammad Saeed, he said the great social worker dedicated his life to the service of humanity and made tremendous contribution towards eastern medicines, social welfare and education.

“The sprawling campus of Madinatul Hikmat (education city) is spread over 300 acres, which reminds us of Caliph Haroonur Rasheed, who encouraged educational institutions”, he remarked, adding that it was very tragic that Hakeem Said had to go so early. “It was a great national loss”, he described.

It is obvious that the government can not finance education for an increasing population, but it is heartening to note that the private sector has risen to meet the challenge, the PAEC chairman said.

About the Hamdard University, he said with 8,000 students and 13 colleges in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Peshawar, the university had, within a decade, become one of the largest institutions of the country.

The educational institutions in the country are producing manpower either for the local market or the multinational companies. “I urge students to consider not only the attractive salaries in the selection of their careers, but also the pride associated with making contribution to national development”, Mr Butt said.

He also urged the students to work hard, not only for securing their future in financial terms, but also for the pride that came with the feeling of being the best.

About the PAEC, he said the organization was a large enterprise which dealt in design, development, manufacturing, installation and operation of large industrial and research facilities.

To meet the country’s diverse manpower needs, he said, the Council had set up several specialized educational and training institutes like PIEAS at Nilore that conducted academic programmes at the BSc, MSc and PhD levels. Moreover, MSc and M.Phill level programmes are being run at the computer training centre in Islamabad; Kinpoe at Karachi; and the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in Faisalabad.

The quality of education imparted at these institutions is exceptionally good, as some graduates have been admitted directly to PhD programmes at the prestigious universities like the MIT, California and Cambridge.

The Humdard Foundation president, Sadia Rashid, on the occasion opened the Hakeem Saeed Library at the university. She said Hakeem Saeed, who founded the university, wanted to provide the country’s youths with education that combined both the eastern and western disciplines, without destroying traditions worth preserving.

Earlier, Dr Ismail Saad, the vice-chancellor of the university, said Hakeem Saeed had a passionate love for the country, and wanted every Pakistani child to receive education for making the country prosperous.

“He (Mr Saeed) considered it a duty of the state to make education available at the doorstep of every child.

But he was realistic enough to realize that the government could not bear this responsibility alone”, he said.