LAHORE: The Punjab University syndicate on Thursday turned down a request of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) for granting permission to resume construction work on new 132Kv GIS Grid Station stopped some time back at New Campus.

Earlier, the PU had given away [prime] five-kanal land almost free-of-cost to Lesco in 2009 for the installation of a modern grid station. Its main objective was to ensure smooth supply of electricity to the university and adjacent residential localities.

Dr Mujahid Kamran, the then vice chancellor, had approved an MoU between PU and Lesco to give land by using his emergency powers under section 15(3) of the University Act 1973.

The MoU was later discussed in the 168th syndicate meeting and it was approved in 169th meeting held on March 1, 2010.

Later, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had admonished former PU provisional vice-chancellor Dr Zakariya Zakar for bringing on agenda the matter of selling varsity’s land to the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) in April 2018. Mr Zakar had resigned from his post over the issue.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2018