ISLAMABAD, Jan 9: The federal government is considering to set up a public sector management university (PSMU) by upgrading one of the existing institutes with the primary objective of developing economic management group for the bureaucracy.

Sources in the cabinet division told Dawn that it was expected that National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) of Civil Servants Academy (CSA) and one of two other similar institutes in Lahore were upgraded to the status of a public sector university. A formal proposal to this effect is expected to come for discussion before the federal cabinet very soon.

In that case, the government would not require physical infrastructure for PSMU as campuses of CSA and NIPA were readily available. The proposal further suggests that the state guest house within the premises of CSA and International Hotel opposite the CSA could conveniently be made part of the proposed university.

It suggested that Walton campus of CSA, which spreads over an area of 68 acres was also expected to fetch a price of Rs680 million in case it was sold to the private sector that would be more than sufficient to meet initial cost fort the establishment of the university.

The running expenses, sources said, would be met through public sector development programme allocations or to approach the donors like United Nations Development Programme.

The proposal has come in the backdrop of the government decision to groom a high calibre economic management group of bureaucracy to deal with the emerging economic challenges and resource management.

These sources argue that a number of existing universities and other teaching institutions in Pakistan offer courses in the subjects relevant to civil servants like public policy, public administration, economic management, international relations and international law etc.