ISLAMABAD: Prime Min­ister Shehbaz Sharif has said the establishment of Daanish University in the federal capital will not only become a model in the country but will also carve a niche among the world’s top educational centres on basis of quality education, research and development in applied sciences.

Addressing a ceremony at the site review of Daanish University of Emerging Sciences in Islam­abad’s Sector H-16 on Saturday, PM Shehbaz said it was a moment of joy for everyone as 100-acre land was allocated for the university.

He expressed the hope that Da­­anish University could be equal to renowned educational institutions like Stanford, Oxford, MIT and others, announcing that the first section of the university would become operational on Aug 14, 2026.

He said the government would not interfere in its functions and administration as it would work autonomously like the PKLI where legislation was made in this regard.

Praises CJP Afridi, ex-CJP Isa for transfer of £190m

PKLI was now functioning in the best way in the healthcare sector, he remarked.

Students from across the country would get admissions to different disciplines in the university, purely on the basis of merit, he said.

A Trust would be created and the government would initially pro­­vide Rs10 billion as seed money.

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Forei­­gn Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, ministers, parlia-mentarians, experts and relevant authorities.

The prime minister said that names of the board of governors of Daanish University had been finalised so that the brilliant minds could contribute to it from the very beginning.

The campus would be constructed with red facade which would have all the allied facilities, he added.

On the occasion, the prime minister also expressed his gratitude to former chief justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and incumbent CJP Yahya Afridi for transferring 190 million pounds to government’s exchequer, which could be utilised for the establishment of Daanish University.

Earlier, Minister for Federal Edu­cation Khalid Maqbool Sid­di­qui, in his speech highlighted that the world had changed by achieving modern trends in science and technology.

He said they were laying a foundation of an educational centre that would become a model to be emulated by the provinces.

Minister for Planning and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said the biggest Global South educational endowment fund was created by PM Shehbaz in the form of Daanish schools during his tenure as Punjab CM.

Daanish University would be the next level where they would prepare workforce for an industrial revolution, he said, adding the university would have the facilities to impart education in AI, biotechnology, robotics, space sciences and other emerging technologies through ap­­plied research to create a platform to fill the gap between academia and industries.

He said they would also seek global partnership for the transfer of technology and to ensure that this institution should provide technology leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2025