KARACHI, Oct 2: The Board of Advanced Studies and Research (BASR), University of Karachi, at a meeting presided over by Vice-Chancellor KU, Dr Zafar Saeed Saify, accorded approval for award of Ph.D degrees to some 16 candidates after receiving positive reports from foreign examiners.

The unscheduled meeting of board, which was held after a long delay of about three months, was attended by all the deans of KU faculties. Nominated members of the board, Dr Suhail Barkati, Dr Moinuddin Aqeel and Dr Fahimuddin also attended the meeting.

The meeting gave approval to some 20 students for admissions to M.Phil/Ph.D programmes and also appointed 20 examiners for M.Phil/Ph.D programmes in various faculties.

Dr Qadeer: Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan visited the A.Q. Khan Institute of Genetics and Bio-technology on Wednesday to review its construction and development work.

The institute, which is being constructed at the Karachi University campus at a total cost of Rs350 million, is in the final stages of completion.

Vice-Chancellor of Karachi University, Dr Zafar Saeed Saify, apprised Dr Qadeer about the A.Q. Khan Institute and other projects at the campus.

Dr Qadeer saw the auditorium, labs, library hall and facilities available for the students, teachers and researchers.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Qadeer said that research labs were ready for the M.Phil and Ph.D students of the Institute in which research would be undertaken on various diseases especially blindness. He said research would also be undertaken on plant diseases and that would help enhance the yield of crops.

HOLIDAY: The University of Karachi and its affiliated colleges will remain closed on Saturday, Oct 5, on account of ‘Shab-i-Meraj’ on the 27th of Rajab.

An announcement to this effect was made by the registrar of the university on Wednesday. The scheduled examinations of the university, if any, would remain unchanged, he added.—PPI/APP