SAHIWAL: The Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association has opposed an official move to give 130-kanal land of the Government Graduate College, Mianwali, to the University of Mianwali.

Varsity VC Dr Islamullah Khan has requested the Higher Education Department (HED) for the transfer of the college land to the UOM. Since the university project has been launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the HED took no time in forwarding the VC request to the Directorate of Colleges, Sargodha Division, and immediately sought revenue records of college land.

PPLA Divisional President Hafiz Ramzan told Dawn the college land which was reserved for sports and other co-curricular activities was up for grabs.

Afzal Khan Niazi, PPLA president of the Minwali college, said instead of providing missing facilities to public sector colleges, the HED was grabbing their assets.”In this case, the land is being to an autonomous chartered university.”

Sahibzada Ahmed Nadeem, PPLA Secretary General, told Dawn college teachers had passed a resolution asking HED to refrain from this move.

Established in 1950, the Mianwali college owns 330 Kanal 14 marlas land. Of it, 130 kanal is reserved for cricket and other sports activities.

University VC Prof Dr Khan told Dawn the university had no space and building to accommodate 4,000 students.

“It is in this background that we requested the HED to award college’s unutilised land for a short period,” he said.

Dr Islam said the university needed an independent 1000-1500 kanal land for which finances were not allocated.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2021