QUETTA: Federal Government in principle has approved the establishment of University of Gwader (UoG) on Monday with plans to launch classes formally by September, 2016.

A source in the Ministry of Planning Commission Pakistan, on condition of anonymity, told this scribe that during a routine meeting of a decision-making body of the Ministry, namely Central Working Development Party (CDWP), the said decision was taken with Federal Minister for Planning and Commission Ahsan Iqbal in chair.

Minister for Planning Commission directed Chairman Higher Education Commission, who was part of the meeting, to accomplish the project at the earliest, learnt Balochistan Express. PC-1 of the project was also approved during the meeting whose details are yet to be known.

In addition, a campus of University of Balochistan (UoB) was also approved during the same meeting for Zhob district of Balochistan, a well-placed source in Federal Government told Balochistan Express.

As a matter of routine procedure, the projects approved by the CDWP are moved to the Federal Finance Department for the sanctioning of Funds and are to be placed in a sub-committee of Finance Department, namely, Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) chaired by Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar. However, all such projects which cost more than a billion go to the said committee for final financial approval and rest are finalized by CDWP itself. Falling under the less than a Rs. billion project, UoG has already been approved finally.

Moreover, classes would go functional by September, 2016 whether the building construction for UoG is completed or not as government plans to either hire a building or make some makeshift arrangements until the accomplishment of construction, added the sources.

Gwader has sprang into mainstream discourse following a 46 billion dollar project that would connect it with the China and responding to the changed scenario, Federal Government plans to trigger educational activities at the earliest to meet the human resource needs in the province.

The decision of the UoG establishment went viral among the students and educationists in the province who hailed it for good.

“We appreciate federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal for approving a University for Gwadar,” Ali Akbar Baloch, a student based in Gwadar told Balochistan Express. He further added, “We hope that Federal government will live up to its promise and commence classes in University by September this year.”

Students of Gwadar studying in Lahore and Islamabad have also lauded the decision of CDWP and hoped that Professor Ahsan Iqbal will continue his efforts for development of Gwadar.

Earlier this Year Federal government also announced to establish a University in Wadh town of Khuzdar district of Balochistan.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal, former Chief Minister of Balochistan had offered 100 Acres free of cost for the University and Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced to establish a University on that land.