LAHORE: (Monday, September 29, 2014): Punjab University and Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) on Monday signed an agreement to develop a volunteer force from the university students. Under the accord, over 35,000 students and staff of the university would be enrolled as volunteers, enabling them to work in a state of natural disaster or human tragedy. The students will be asked to give their consent to work as volunteers at time of their enrolment with the university. The agreement was signed by PRCS Secretary General Dr Mahboob Sardar and University of Punjab Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujhahid Kamran at a ceremony held at Centre for Undergraduate Studies.

Chairman PRCS Dr Saeed Elahi, PU VC, senior journalists including Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami, Sohail Warraich, Atta ur Rehman, Dr Ajmal Niazi, ASA President Dr Ehsan Sharif, Prof Dr Zakria Zakir, Prof Dr Amir Ejaz, Director External Linkages Dr Maria Maldonado and PRCS officials were present on the occasion. Talking to media, PU VC Dr Mujahid Kamran said that PU students always played an important role whenever the country faced calamities. He said that the new generation had the passion to serve humanity but needed a platform through which they could participate in relief activities. He said that the MoU would provide PU students an opportunity to cope with floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters. PRCS Chairman Dr Saeed Elahi speaking on the occasion said that the society had set a target to increase the volunteer base up to 5 million. Engaging youths of schools, colleges and universities was one of objectives by establishing new Youth Clubs, revitalizing existing ones and imparting training on first aid, disaster management and response during various emergencies. He said that PRCS had recently signed MOUs with the Allama Iqbal Open University and Roots Millennium Schools which is a step towards achieving our milestone and so far PRCS had been able to achieve recruitment of over 1,665,000 new volunteers. He appreciated the support of PU and especially Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran and hope that both the intuitions will work closely for the betterment of humanity. Under the MoU, PRCS will issue volunteer identity cards to the registered students.

The society will also organize training sessions for students and the varsity staff. The two sides decided to establish working relationship for mobilizing and training youth volunteers, to be selected among the students and PU staff. It was also decided that PRCS will establish self-sustainable youth clubs at all departments and campuses of PU and provide a complete training package for the capacity building of club members. According to the MoU, the students and university staff would be given opportunity to participate in trainings, demonstrations, workshops, seminars and camps. PU would be given opportunity to represent itself as an institution at national and international forums.