Islamabad: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired a crucial meeting in Islamabad today to assess the development of four Centers of Excellence, which are pivotal to Pakistan’s educational and scientific advancement. The centers reviewed include the National Center for Brand Development, Establishment of Bayt-ul-Hikmah at NUML, the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences at QAU, and the Dr. A. Q. Khan Institute of Materials and Emerging Sciences. Additionally, the establishment of nine Seerat Chairs across various universities was also discussed.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the meeting underscored the strategic importance of these initiatives. A significant focus was placed on the National Center for Manufacturing, a project greenlit by the Central Development Working Party, with completion targeted by June 30, 2027. Minister Iqbal emphasized the crucial role of material science in the future of production technologies and mandated the appointment of a top expert in material science to lead the project.

The session also highlighted the progress on the Bayt-ul-Hikmah at the National University of Modern Languages, which aims to serve as a hub for translating significant global works into local languages and vice versa. This project has secured approval from the CDWP with a revised budget of 485.998 million rupees.

Further discussions at the meeting touched upon the Quality Assurance Framework for Higher Education in Pakistan, where Minister Iqbal called for enhanced regulations to boost the performance of higher education institutions. He also instructed the Vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University to draft a roadmap for the A.Q. Khan Institute of Materials and Emerging Sciences within the next seven days, emphasizing the need for world-class expertise in material sciences for the project.

Additionally, Minister Iqbal inquired about the progress of appointing internationally acclaimed Islamic scholars to the nine Seerat Chairs, a task assigned to the Higher Education Commission.

The initiatives reviewed are part of a broader effort to position Pakistan as a leader in education and scientific research, reflecting the government’s commitment to leveraging science and education as tools for national development.