LAHORE: A conference delegates says universities face the greatest problem in increasing the employability of their graduates since they lack the necessary skills and knowledge.

The Government College University’s (GCU) zoology department hosted a two-day international conference on “fisheries and aquaculture” on Wednesday.

GCU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi said the most pressing immediate concern for institutions is increasing the employability of their graduates. “We’ve been informed by the industry that even if you send us your top graduates, we’ll have to teach them all over again,” he explained.

He stated that they must upskill their graduates in order for them to be useful in the industry in Pakistan and overseas.

He welcomed international participants to the conference, including Dr John Sweetman, who has 40 years of experience in the field of aquaculture.

Secretary to Fisheries Shahid Zaman said that no industry can flourish without support from academia and researchers.

However, he said, the government is providing subsidies to the private sector to flourish in the fisheries sector so that they can fulfil the commercial demand and the biodiversity in the rivers can be protected.

Prof Dr Hafiz Muhammad Tahir said that the purpose of this conference is to bring together researchers, academicians, farmers and industry stakeholders on one platform.

The director-general of the Punjab Fisheries Department, Dr Sikender Hayat, spoke on new technologies for improved fish production.

Conference: A private university on Wednesday organised a conference on 200 years of Urdu journalism.

University of Management and Technology’s School of Media and Communication Studies (SMCS) organised the conference on the completion of two hundred years of Urdu journalism.

Punjab Governor Baligh ur Rehman who was the chief guest of the conference said that Urdu journalism had played a very important role in the War of Independence in 1857.

He said that Urdu journalism had played a very important role in the history of the subcontinent against heavy odds.

Journalist Salman Ghani said Urdu newspapers had played an important role in the freedom of Pakistan and it could not be forgotten.

Senior journalist Mujibur Rahman Shami said that Urdu newspapers had fought battles for freedom. He said they would have to further strengthen the importance and role of Urdu journalism.

Former Senator Javed Jabbar said that there was no parallel of hardships and difficulties endured by journalists.

SMCS Dean Dr Prof Anjum Zia said that the purpose of this conference was to revive Urdu journalism.

UMT DG Abid Sherwani, Rector Dr Asif Raza and Prof Zia presented a souvenir to the governor.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2022