The federal government has approved a project to establish a China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) joint research centre for earth sciences in Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), worth Rs 8.5 million, Daily Times has learnt.
QAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali said this in an exclusive interview. He said that the initial cost of the project was Rs 8.5 million, out of which Rs 6 million would be funded by China and Rs 2.5 by Pakistan.
“This was a big old project which had been withdrawn by China’s government due to indiscipline and asymmetrical situation in the university,” he recalled while adding, “I did some personal efforts to restore this project and get succeeded as it was in the interest of the varsity as well as for the country.”
While further explaining, Dr Ali said the varsity would provide 400 kanals of its land for the establishment of the centre. He maintained that all documentary process had been completed in this regard. The centre would be fully operational in three years, he hoped.
The research centre would mainly cover geophysics, earth sciences, environment and climate change. Later, the scope of research would be expanded to archaeology and other disciplines. To a question, the VC replied that as per approved standards, the centre comprised of 50 per cent staff employed from China while remaining employees were local.
“Scheme of its Board of Governors (BoG) is comprised of two chairs, including chairperson Higher Education Commission (HEC) and President China Academy of Sciences,” he explained. Besides the main centre, two sub-centres would also be established; one in University of Karachi and another in University of Peshawar, he maintained while adding that student of any varsity from across the country would be allowed to do research in this centre. Moreover, the VC said that the Chinese Academy of Sciences Vice President, who has the status of a state minister, has visited the site along with his team and they agreed “in principle.”
“Despite the country facing a serious economic crunch, the government has allocated Rs 500 million in this PSDP for the development of this project,” Dr Ali claimed.
The government, he maintained, has also specified an amount of around Rs 2.5 billion for another project, which includes the construction of three new hostels–two for boys and one for girls– and construction of a new academic block. Out of this amount, Rs 200 million had been allocated in this fiscal year.
“This amount of Rs 12 billion was descended which I have recovered through my personal efforts”, he exclaimed while adding restoration of this amount was a distant dream.
Highlighting the economic plight of the QAU, Dr Ali regretted that varsity was still not self-sufficient financially because the HEC funding and semester fees of the students were the only two sources of income through which expenditures could not be fulfilled.
Dr Ali assumed charge last November when the QAU was facing various kinds of academic and administrative issues.
There was also frustration among the varsity’s employees and a situation of mistrust prevailed. However, after joining, he somehow managed to cope with several issues.
When asked how did you tackle such a situation, the VC responded that first, he reviewed the basic issues of the employees and then devised a mechanism to resolve them.
“Within a short span of time I held two meetings of the Syndicate and two meetings of the Selection Board,” he explained as he added that through this, pending and rightful promotions of as many as 240 employees came into practice.
Besides this, he asserted, many other pending matters were also settled. “Accreditations of Law Department and Pharmacy Department from relevant councils was one of the major issues, which had now been approved from the cabinet division,” he applauded.
