The construction of the permanent building of the Potohar campus of the University of Punjab remains a dream of students, parents, and educational circles while the classes have been going on in a rented building for the last two years.

The Potohar campus of the prestigious University of the Punjab was approved by the concerted efforts of Raja Pervez Ashraf, former prime minister of Pakistan, and the classes were started in December 2023.

Initially, the courses offered were BBA (Honours), BS in Information Technology, BS in Commerce, and LLB (5-year programme), and the classes were started in the building of MC Boys Government Higher Secondary School, Gujar Khan, with students enrolled from all over the country on strict merit.

The parents and students from the Potohar region heaved a sigh of relief over this facility, especially those who had been reluctant to send their children to the big cities far away. Now they feel quite satisfied with the campus at their doorstep. While students from other areas of Pakistan are also enrolled here at the approachable destination on the GT Road. Now this campus has been shifted to a comparatively better but rented building, and about 105 students in different semesters of discipline are studying here.

MPA reveals Rs20 million has been provided so far to run varsity in a rented building, says will approach CM Maryam over land acquisition

However, the establishment of an independent building as per the standards of the university campus is yet to be materialised. According to the details, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) had approved Rs4 billion for the establishment of the varsity campus in Gujar Khan in May 2023 under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, but the groundbreaking of the project could not take place so far.

Raja Pervez Ashraf, while talking to Dawn, said, “I, as a chairman of the social action board during the first premiership of Benazir Bhutto in the late 80s, tried to establish a divisional public school campus in Gujar Khan, and this government land was earmarked for this facility.” However, the landmark project for the region was approved during his tenure as NA speaker, Mr Raja said.

He further said that over 800 kanals of land of the provincial government was at an ideal location in the vicinity of the Ghangrila railway station and the GT road at its main gate, making it an accessible destination round the clock. He said he was still making efforts for the construction of the permanent campus, adding that the matter was also highlighted by him with the PML-N leadership during a PPP-PML-N huddle in Lahore last month. He added that the PML-N had assured an affirmative solution in the upcoming meeting.

PML-N MPA Raja Shauket Aziz Bhatti said only Rs20 million out of Rs627.444 million approved for the classes on an interim basis were released so far, and the groundbreaking for the independent campus had yet to take place. A three-year period for completion of the building was announced in the PC-I, he added.

MPA Bhatti added that the issue of land acquisition was serious, and that the chief minister of Punjab would be requested to help in this regard. The MPA pointed out that the requisite funds were to be provided by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and only Rs20 million had been provided so far to run the campus in a rented building.

The students enrolled at the campus said that an independent campus was much desired. They also pointed out that in the newly rented building, the availability of a well-equipped library and IT lab was still awaited even after the campus was shifted around six months ago. They demanded that the promised permanent campus of the varsity be constructed on a priority basis to improve infrastructure facilities and allow the administration to introduce more academic disciplines for students.

The director of Potohar Campus, Prof Dr Mudasar Ghafoor, while responding to the query about the availability of labs, libraries, and playgrounds, said that the IT equipment and books for the library had been arranged and the fixture would be completed soon. The project director of the Punjab University Potohar campus, Dr Anwaar, when contacted for his comments, expressed his inability to give his version until allowed by the higher authority and suggested writing to the Planning and Development wing of the PU.

However, the vice chancellor and the director of P&D of Punjab University were emailed requests for their official version, but no response on the construction issue had been received.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2025