LAHORE: The Punjab government, under public-private partnership, is launching a ‘Chip Designing Tools’ project in the universities of the province, as work has been started in this regard after signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the higher education department and partners.

Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun explained the project and discussed related matters with Chief Minister Usman Bazdar in a meeting at the latter’s office here on Sunday.

Mr Humayun said the project would not only bring a revolution in the local IT sector, but generate employment opportunities also.

The chief minister said modern higher education was the right of every child and setting up a university in every district of the province would provide opportunities to the students to get higher education near their homes.

Mr Buzdar said establishing a state-of-the-art engineering and technology university in Sialkot would not only benefit the local industry, but also enable the local youth to pursue higher studies.

The minister told Mr Buzdar that 75 new colleges had been set up in Punjab, besides upgrade of 590 colleges to associate degree institutions and 201 others to BS four-year level. He said 86 more new colleges would also be set up in the province.

The chief minister said the inclusion of 21 universities of Punjab in international and Asian ranking was a proof of education-friendly policies of his government and a matter of pride as well.

He said scholarships worth Rs834 million were being awarded to intelligent students under the Rahmatul-lil-Alameen Scholarship scheme. He said the government had given 285 percent more funds to higher education department as compared to the last year’s allocation.

TOURISM: The chief minister has said Pakistan is rich in natural beauty, religious tourism and historical places, adding that new tourist destinations are being established in Punjab.

In his message on the World

Tourism Day, the chief minister said Pakistan was the custodian of the world’s oldest civilization and culture.

He said by promoting tourism the government intended to introduce Pakistan’s archeology to the world. He said Punjab’s tourist destinations had a great attraction for foreign as well as local tourists.

Mr Buzdar says tourism gives a boost to the national economy and its promotion generates employment opportunities for the locals as well.

He says due attention is being paid on providing missing facilities at tourist destinations across the province, while new tourist destinations are being developed throughout Punjab under an integrated tourism policy. “A positives image of Pakistan will be brought in front of world by promoting tourism,” he added.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2021