The inaugural ceremony of the new building of Punjab University (PU) Institute of Energy and Environmental Engineering (IEEE) was held on Tuesday. On this occasion, the Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Prof Dr Shahid Munir, PU VC Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood, Mir Chakar Khan Rind University of Technology (MCUT) DG Khan VC Dr Mahmood Saleem, Director IEEE Dr Hamid Sattar, faculty members and a large number of students were present.

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Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Engr Prof Ahsan Iqbal, while addressing as the chief guest, has said that the security and development of nations depend on knowledge and technology, for which the teachers and students of universities should help in solving Pakistan’s national problems through laboratories.

In his address, Ahsan Iqbal said that universities are centers of research and innovation that find solutions to problems. He said that due to the policies of the previous government, Pakistan has suffered an economic heart attack and if the situation is not changed in the future, the situation may become more dangerous. He said that hate was spread through social media to divide the nation and the use of such language became so common that even PhD scholars could not avoid it. “The bullet in my body is a reminder of the hatred and extremism that a party has spread,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal said that like a computer, the virus of hatred also goes into the brain and becomes a pest for society. He said that in the last few years, every section, including the youth, was incited by the politics of hatred. He said that Pakistan needs development projects which were reduced a lot by the previous government; we are starting development projects again for the development of Pakistan. He said that he went to Pasheen, Pasni and other such areas to inaugurate university campuses and development projects.

He said that in the previous regime, we had included energy, elimination of terrorism and economic reforms in our top priorities, this time five E’s i.e. exports, E-Pakistan, equity, environmental and food security and energy will be our priority. He said that the digital revolution had come to the world, in the next ten years, many jobs will not be needed and they will be replaced by artificial intelligence and new opportunities. He said that educational institutions should play a dynamic role in the creation of new knowledge and promote research according to the needs of the industry. He said that teachers should update themselves and teach modern knowledge to the youth through a faculty development program.

He advised the youth not to let the shadow of prejudice fall on the mind which kills creativity. He said that he feels proud for Punjab University for the completion of the project approved by his previous government. He said that at present the country is standing at a crossroads and facing many challenges for which the nation needs seriousness so that together we can take the country forward.

Dr Shahid Munir said that seventeen billion dollars are being spent on importing diesel, furnace oil, LNG and RLNG, if the same money is spent on Pakistani energy projects, then there will be a good result for the economy. He said that the Institute of Energy and Environmental Engineering has the world’s best laboratories for higher education and research. He said that two mega projects were completed in PU in the last 14 years and both of them have been completed due to the special efforts of Prof Ahsan Iqbal. He said that Pakistan is facing problems like climate change, for which the institute will provide support.

Dr Khalid Mahmood said that PU was supported by the federal government in several projects. He said that with the support of the government, they are trying to give very affordable education to poor students. He said that increasing the development funds of the Higher Education Commission in the budget is a good initiative, but due to the increase in salaries by the federal government, the recurring budget of the HEC is not sufficient to bear the impact. Therefore, he said, the government must increase the recurring budget of HEC to bear the impact of the increase in salaries. ‘Most of our funding goes to salaries, pensions and research’, he said. He thanked Ahsan Iqbal for his full cooperation in the completion of the project.

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