LAHORE: Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider has said that harassment and usage of drugs in universities will not be tolerated.

He said that the shortcomings of the semester system will also be addressed to deal with issues like harassment.

Mr Haider, also the PU chancellor, said this at the Punjab University’s 134th Convocation ceremony on Monday.

Mr Khan said that all the female students studying in the universities are like his daughters and he wants to give them the same environment that he wants for her daughters.

He said that a vice-chancellors’ conference is being organised soon to solve the problems of the universities.

He said that without good qualities of a good character, a degree is of no use and parents cut their pockets to teach their children, and now it is your responsibility to keep your parents like flowers.

He congratulated the students who received degrees and medals, their parents and teachers.

PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Shah said that a zero-tolerance policy against harassment was being followed and female students were being given a safe environment.

He said that the financial deficit would be eliminated in the next two years with a new financial model.

He said that the electricity costs would be reduced from Rs2 billion to Rs1 billion, for which solarization of campus is being done for the first time.

He said that the university would be brought among the top 500 universities of the world by the next year.

He said that 50 per cent of the IT graduates in Pakistan are PU graduates.

He said that digitalization of the university is being done to improve financial and administrative matters along with provision of quality education.

He said that no student should be deprived of education due to money.

He said that various student societies are being mobilized to provide a pleasant educational environment to the students, promote co-curricular activities and highlight the qualities of character building.

As many as 254 medals were presented to MS/MPhil, undergraduate students. In the 134th convocation of PU, 1,087 graduates were awarded certificates as well.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2025