ISLAMABAD (Khyber Mail): In a significant development for Pakistan’s higher education sector, three major universities from Islamabad are set to expand their presence to Karachi. The Federal Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, has given the green light for the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), National University of Technology (NUTECH), and Comsats University to establish campuses in Karachi. This move is aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of expanding access to quality education to fuel the country’s economic growth, according to a press statement from the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry announced that a temporary campus for Comsats University will be established on Hub Road, with a Rs4.6 billion project plan submitted for a dedicated campus. Details regarding the campuses of Nust and NUTECH are yet to be disclosed.
Dr. Siddiqui, who chairs the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and hails from Karachi, expressed that the establishment of these campuses will significantly benefit local students. Historically, previous efforts to set up Comsats campuses in Sukkur, Gujar Khan, and Dera Murad Jamali were unsuccessful. Currently, Comsats University operates from its main campus in Islamabad and six other campuses across Pakistan, including locations such as Wah, Abbottabad, and Lahore.
Additionally, Dr. Siddiqui emphasized the need for a swift appointment of a permanent rector for Comsats University Islamabad (CUI) to stabilize its administration. The CUI has been operating under temporary leadership since July 2023, facing administrative challenges due to vacancies in key positions. The absence of a regular rector has led to complications, with the acting rector barred from making significant policy decisions, as per a directive from President Asif Ali Zardari.
The Ministry of Science and Technology highlighted the urgency of appointing a permanent rector to ensure effective management and long-term planning for the university. Efforts to fill the rector position have faced delays, with Dr. Shahid Munir’s appointment being confirmed but never assumed, as he was simultaneously appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore.
Dr. Siddiqui’s announcement follows his earlier decision in 2024 to establish campuses for the National College of Arts (NCA) and Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) in Karachi. The inauguration of the Karachi chapter of PIFD in November of the previous year marked a positive step in broadening educational opportunities in the city.