The University of Management and Technology (UMT) has offered the Punjab government free access to its artificial intelligence-based tutoring and career-guidance technology, potentially giving students and graduates across the province round-the-clock academic assistance and career counselling.
UMT Chairman and President Ibrahim Hasan Murad made the offer while addressing the university’s 29th Convocation, where 4,363 students were awarded degrees across four sessions. The proposal comes as Punjab accelerates its wider artificial intelligence agenda under Punjab AI Vision 2029, which aims to make the province South Asia’s most AI-enabled province by 2029. The provincial government has also established an AI-enabled Delivery Unit as part of the initiative.
Murad said UMT’s AI technology could also be extended to other universities, potentially creating a wider digital support network for students. The proposed system would focus on tutoring and career guidance, allowing students to access educational assistance beyond conventional classroom hours.
Alongside the AI initiative, Murad highlighted UMT’s scholarship programme, saying 64 percent of the university’s students were receiving scholarships in one form or another. He said the ILM Scholarship Fund had reached Rs20 billion, while UMT’s estimated contribution under the Honhaar Scholarship Programme for 920 students stood at Rs1.13 billion over the duration of their degrees.
UMT also announced an additional Rs100 million in scholarships for students from Balochistan. According to Murad, the university has provided scholarships worth Rs572 million to Balochistan students over the past decade.
The convocation saw 3,570 bachelor’s, 21 master’s, 723 MS/MPhil and 49 PhD degrees awarded. A total of 62 gold and 68 silver medals were presented to high-performing graduates, while the university also recognised students and researchers through Academic Excellence Gold Awards, Certificates of Excellence, Certificates of Merit and Research Publication Awards.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti used the occasion to call for stronger inter-provincial harmony, rejecting perceptions of hostility between the people of Balochistan and Punjab. He said Pakistan’s provinces shared a common national identity and warned against attributing acts of terrorism to particular ethnicities or provinces.
Bugti urged young people to choose education, development and economic opportunity over violence. He said Balochistan had launched a ten-year livelihood programme covering every district and was providing interest-free loans to young people in collaboration with Akhuwat Pakistan and the National Rural Support Programme. He also highlighted opportunities for Balochistan students to study at international universities.
The chief minister praised UMT’s scholarship support for Balochistan students and stressed the importance of protecting young people from misinformation and negative social media propaganda. His emphasis on education and youth opportunity comes amid his broader calls for collective action against terrorism and greater investment in young people.
Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said investment in education, research and modern skills was essential for Pakistan’s development. He urged universities to prepare graduates not only to obtain degrees but also to meet the practical demands of professional life.
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat said education remained a key equaliser and that students needed practical skills alongside academic qualifications. He said the provincial government was working to reduce disparities between public and private education and expand opportunities through initiatives such as the Honhaar Scholarship Programme.
Punjab Chief Minister’s Adviser on Artificial Intelligence Ali Dar said the provincial government would formally launch Punjab AI Vision 2029 in November and continue integrating artificial intelligence into government systems and public services. The AI agenda has already been described by the Punjab government as a six-pillar strategy aimed at transforming governance and service delivery.
Dar also said an AI fellowship programme had been proposed in collaboration with UMT and highlighted the university’s early role in introducing academic programmes in artificial intelligence. The proposed collaboration could connect Punjab’s growing government AI infrastructure with university-based expertise and student training.
The convocation brought together government officials, university leadership and graduates as UMT combined its academic achievements with a broader push toward scholarships, artificial intelligence, employability and inter-provincial educational opportunities.
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The event was attended by UMT Board of Governors member Dr Ahmad Umar Murad, Chief Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Javed Hasan, Rector Dr Asif Raza and Adviser Abid Sherwani.
