LAHORE: (Friday, November 23, 2012): Punjab University Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Liaqat Ali has said the administration was providing the best facilities to the students which are not being provided in any other public sector universities even after charging the lowest fee as compared to others. He was addressing a press conference at Executive Club here on Friday. PU Registrar Prof Dr Khan Raas Masood, Additional Registrar Prof Dr Aurangzeb Alamgir, Chairman Hall Council Dr Muhammad Akhter, Student Adviser Prof Dr Rafique Ahmed, Resident Officer 1 Javed Sami, Acting Treasurer Rao Muhammad Sharif and other officials were present on the occasion.

Dr Ali said that the activities of a student faction were in violation of Supreme Court’s order in which the apex court had banned political student organizations and political activities on campus. He said that a so-called group of students wanted to disturb peaceful academic atmosphere of the university. Dr Ali said that there was huge financial cut to HEC grant and the HEC had also written a letter to universities to reduce dependence on the commission and asked universities to generate income through own resources, donations and increasing fees etc.

Despite the fact, he said, the tuition fees of students had not been increase by even 1 rupee since past many years.  He clarified that PU administration had clearly mentioned in its admission advertisement that hostel facility would not be provided to the students of self supporting/afternoon classes and students also submitted a form that they were capable of affording their all educational expenses. While the PU’s fees of self-supporting/evening classes was upto three times lesser than the fees of other public sector universities, he added. Dr Ali stated that transport facility was being provided to evening classes students and 16 routes were being operated. In his media briefing with facts and figures, PU Acting Treasurer Rao Sharif said in tuition fees head, PU was getting Rs 100.275 million while it was spending 82.757 million on scholarships being provided to students and student affairs. He said that in terms of hostel fees, PU was getting only Rs 7.750 million while it was spending a huge amount of Rs 87.037 million and thus affording expenditures of Rs 79.287 million on its own and that burden was not being shifted to students’ pocket. He said that PU transport wing was getting Rs 72.500 million while 112.327 million rupees were being spent to provide transport facility to all the students and thus bearing an additional burden of Rs 39.827 million. Recently, he added, with a cost of Rs 11 million, two new buses had been added to PU fleet. He said that PU was getting 16.930 million rupees in terms of internet facility while it was spending 33.280 million rupees and giving a subsidy of Rs 16.35million on its own. Concluding the briefing, he said that Punjab University was spending an additional amount of 117.946 million rupees in providing only these four facilities to the students and managing that huge chunk of amount through its own resources, which was unmatched.