‘Benazir Women University for Punjab’, says governor

[Naveed Yaseen]

Punjab Governor Salman Taseer has said that the government will establish Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Women University in Punjab.

He stated this during his meeting with the HEC chairman, Dr. Javaid R. Leghari who called on the governor at the Governor’s House here Wednesday. HEC executive director Prof. Dr. Sohail Hussain Naqvi was also present.

ìBenazir Bhutto Shaheed Women University must come up to the highest international standards and play its role in the dissemination of knowledge in the country”, the governor said. He asked the HEC chairman to enhance student enrolment in the universities to ensure the promotion of knowledge-based economy. He also stressed the need for the capacity building of the university teachers, adding that the HEC should focus on Advanced Sciences studies rather than traditional studies offered at the seats of higher learning in Punjab.

“HEC must also pay close attention to faculty development and academic and resource strengthening of its campuses in the Southern Punjab cities like Bahawalpur, D.G. Khan, Multan, Bahawalnagar etc”, Taseer said.

Punjab is an agricultural Province and it needs biotechnology to enhance its productivity to meet the future requirement of food, the governor said, hailing the role of Punjab University Molecular Biology Center for producing sugar insulin and “interferon” a medicine for fatal disease hepatitis in their laboratories which was a great achievement. The Universities should concentrate on technology production, he added.

The governor urged that the universities should exploit their own resources and involve the local industry and private sector for raising funds. He said that HEC should learn from the experience of Cuban scientists who had excelled in the field of bio-technology.

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