LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday allowed the National Skills University of Islamabad (NSU) to keep its Sheikhpura sub-campus functional and sought replies from the Punjab government and other respondents.

Justice Shahid Waheed heard a petition of the university challenging two notifications issued by the librarian of the Library Complex Murdike, Sheikhpura for the vacation of the campus premises.

University’s counsel Malik Awais Khalid submitted before the court that the petitioner established its sub-campus at Murdike, Sheikhpura with the concurrence of the ministry of federal education & professional training.

He said, after the allocation of the land with the help of the Evacuee Trust Property Board, the NSU asked the chief secretary of Punjab and the deputy commissioner of Sheikhpura for handing over of the allocated premises – Allama Iqbal Library of Murdike – for the establishment of the campus.

Later, he said, the NSU took over the premises and allocated 200 training slots for the campus for a skill development programme in collaboration with the National Vocational & Technical Training Commission.

The counsel pointed out that the classes were scheduled to commence on Aug 22 following admissions of the students, when the librarian of the Library Complex issued two directives to the NSU for the vacation of the premises.

He said the NSU had already spent millions of rupees to make the sub-campus functional and the respondent issued the impugned notifications without any prior notice, which showed mala fide intention.

He asked the court to set aside the impugned notifications and allowed the petitioner to continue its sub-campus.

Justice Waheed maintained a status quo in the matter and allowed the NSU to keep the sub-campus functional. The judge sought replies from the respondents within a fortnight.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2022