FAISALABAD, Aug 31: The three-day International Urdu Conference concluded at the Government College University (GCU) here on Thursday.

Addressing the concluding session, Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool said the government was taking all out measures for the promotion of Urdu language in the country.

About the establishment of Manto chair in the GCU, the governor said that Saadat Hasan Manto was a celebrated writer of his age.

Maqbool was appreciative of the organization of Urdu conference after an international Botany moot and said the Higher Education Commission (HEC) must encourage and sponsor such academic events.

He also announced a cash prize of Rs 100,000 for the writers of university anthem.

Earlier, GCU Vice-Chancellor Dr Asif Iqbal said that the conference has made the GCU a focal point of the Urdu literature. He hoped that quality research in Urdu Literature would bring laurels for Pakistan.

He also thanked the delegate who came from six different countries. The foreign delegates from Italy, Germany, Turkey, India, Bangladesh, Iran and Japan termed the conference successful academically.—APP