PM Shehbaz lays foundation of £190 m Daanish University

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday laid the foundation stone of Daanish University in Islamabad, a project worth £190 million (Rs 60 billion).

Addressing a ceremony at the site review of Daanish University of Emerging Sciences at Sector H-16, the prime minister said that it was a moment of joy for everyone as a piece of land of 100 acres was allocated for the establishment of Daanish University.

The premier said that establishment of Daanish University in Islamabad would not only become a model in the country but would also carve a niche among the world’s top educational centers on the basis of quality education, research and development in applied sciences.

PM Shehbaz expressed gratitude to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and former chief justice Qazi Faez Isa for facilitating the transfer of £190 million to the national treasury.

The funds, which will be used to establish the varsity, were returned to Pakistan by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) followed by a subsequent transfer from the Supreme Court to the federal government’s account.

The amount relates to the £190 case in which Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14-year and seven-year for their involvement in the Al-Qadir Trust scandal regarding “adjustment” of £190 million.

The prime minister expressed the hope that Daanish University could be equal to world-renowned educational institutions like Stanford, Oxford, MIT and others, adding that on Aug 14, 2026, the first section of the university would be operationalized.

He further informed that the government would have no relation with its functions and administration as it would work autonomously like the PKLI where legislation was made in this regard.

Students from all over the country would get enrollment in different faculties of the university purely on the basis of merit, he said.

A Trust would be created and initially, the government would provide Rs10billion as seed money and later, it would run on the amount collected from fees of wealthy students while the poor students would be assisted.

The prime minister said that the Names of the board of governors of Daanish University had been finalized so that the brilliant minds could contribute.

The campus would be constructed with a red facade, which would have all the allied facilities, he added.

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime MInister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, ministers, parliamentarians, experts and relevant authorities.