LAHORE: University of Engineering and Technology (UET) has sought Zakat from its alumnae and the public (philanthropists) to support around 10,000 deserving students enrolled for academic sessions 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-2020.

The university is facing Rs1 billion debt and had to get Rs350 million loan some months ago to pay salary and pension to its employees. The university had given financial assistance of Rs90.87 million to academic year 2017-18 students, Rs122.7 million to 2018-19 and Rs124.11 million to 2019-20, besides allocating funds for 2020-21 session students.

As the economic situation of the institution worsened after the closure of all educational institutes due to Covid-19 pandemic, UET Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar had written to former UET students, industrialists and philanthropists seeking Zakat to support the varsity.

A senior official of the higher education department on the condition of anonymity confirmed that the government had handed over its Rachna Technology College in 2007 to the UET and had to pay around Rs750 million to the varsity, but the amount was not paid till date.

He said the UET had constructed Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology in Multan in 2012 with its own resources and the government was to contribute its share of Rs94 million in the project that was still due. “As these funds are not provided to the UET this has increased its financial problems,” he said.

Recently, UET VC, in a letter (available with Dawn) requested for Zakat fund raising for the needy students.

It states, “UET Lahore has produced over 50,000 engineers in the various disciplines, including some of the finest in the world. Currently, it has over 9,500 undergraduates and around 5,000 graduates in over 25 academic disciplines spreading over five campuses in Lahore, Kala Shah Kaku, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Narowal. Around 70 percent of these students are in the main campus in Lahore.

A majority of these students belong to Punjab, representing the most outstanding students from all 36 districts of the province. Many students belong to Balochistan, KPK, Sindh, AJK, FATA, and Gilgit Baltistan. Most of these students belong to the middle and lower-middle class families. The number of international students stands around 250. Around 27 percent students are female. The university is under huge financial debt and is struggling to support its needy students through its own resources. It is in urgent need of your assistance. I request to help [the varsity] raise Zakat fund for these needy students and their number will rise when the Covid-19 lockdown will be lifted.”

It further states, “For the academic year 2019-20, funds required to fully support a student’s tuition fee and other dues will be around Rs100,000 per year. Hostel dues, excluding meals, will be approximately Rs10,000 per year. These dues will increase by 10-12 percent per year.”

Under the UET financial aid policy, 100pc tuition fee concession is given to a deserving orphan student and up to 50pc tuition fee concession to a non-orphan deserving student.

UET’s Zakat Fund can be transferred into Account No: 0001 2800 3590 0301, IBAN: PK13 HABB 0001 2800 3590 0301, Swift Code: HABB PK KA 128 Bank Name: Habib Bank Ltd UET Branch, G.T. Road, Lahore, Pakistan.

Mr Sarwar said he had appealed to alumnae and the public, especially the philanthropists to help the needy students as the university was facing financial problems.

He said previously the Higher Education Commission (HEC) had been increasing 8.57pc funds annually for the university, but the grant had been stopped causing 10.64pc decrease in the budget this year.

He said the financial gap of the university had increased to 19.21pc and if the 10pc increase in staff salary and inflation factor was added to it the gap would be 30pc.

He said the varsity was hoping to get a grant from the HEC to pay the salaries for the upcoming month of June and meet other necessary expanses. “In the current situation, the varsity needed financial assistance to help the needy students, otherwise it will have to seek another loan to run the affairs,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2020