ISLAMABAD: Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), one of the country’s highest ranked universities, was established 50 years ago but has yet to gain possession of the entire 1,709 acres of land the government bought from the institution from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in the 60s.

QAU was first established as the University of Islamabad under an act passed by the National Assembly on July 13, 1967. It was renamed Quaid-i-Azam University the same year and was initially housed in Satellite Town, Rawalpindi, before moving to its permanent campus in the capital in October 1971.

A ceremony was held at the QAU campus to mark its 50th anniversary which was attended by a large audience that included university alumni.

Although the federal government purchased 1,709 acres of land for QAU, according to QAU’s records from last year, the university has already lost around 600 acres.

University marks 50 years since its establishment with grand ceremony

Initially, the CDA did not hand over 200 acres, while another 400 acres was encroached upon by locals and land grabbers whom the CDA did not remove at the time of the land’s allotments.

“University’s land was facing liquidation at the hands of land-grabbers, some of whom are so politically influential that the ICT administration and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) are unable to move effectively to even demarcate the university’s boundaries,” stated a letter the QAU registrar wrote to the Supreme Court on the matter last year. The matter remains in court.

“Today we celebrated 50 years since the university’s establishment. As far as the land issue is concerned, we are now hopeful that our issue will be resolved as the matter is in the SC,” Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf told Dawn.

While addressing the ceremony earlier, Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed congratulated the university and said it was time to celebrate and also set targets for the next 50 years.

He said achieving the top position is important, but sustaining it needs hard work and commitment, and assured full support for the university’s financial needs.

The QAU vice chancellor said he was delighted by the enthusiasm with which alumni, students and faculty had come together to celebrate the occasion.

He said that during these 50 years, the university had established itself has a leading higher education institution through its contribution to the knowledge base and human resources of Pakistan.

“QAU is producing quality research on a shoestring budget. We hope the HEC and the government pay special attention to the university’s development needs,” Dr Ashraf said.

In his welcome address, Dr Farhan Saif, the chairman of the special coordination committee on 50 years of QAU, spoke about the committee’s initiatives, including its distinguished guest seminar series, the establishment of a donations account, a Quaid-i-Azam corner and a social media campaign to celebrate the anniversary.

Dr Mohammad Ishtiaq Ali, the president of the Academic Staff Association, congratulated the faculty and lauded the efforts of the organisers and support staff in organising the event.

A cake was cut and commemorative shields were distributed among various departments’ alumni who had made extraordinary contributions to their respective fields.

A central library was also inaugurated at Quaid-i-Azam corner, while students from the Quaidian Dramatic Club performed in the Geophysics auditorium.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2017