Keeping his poll campaign promise to utilise official buildings for public use, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday inaugurated a national university at the palatial PM House here.
The Islamabad National University is housed in the premises of the PM House and other institutes and departments of the university will be added over time in the extensive grounds of the property, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood said during the inauguration ceremony.
After coming to power, the prime minister said he will not stay in the PM House and moved into his military secretary’s three-bedroom house.
He said that governors will also not stay in Governor House as part of his cash-strapped government’s efforts to cut down on costs.
Addressing the ceremony, Khan said the purpose of establishing a university in the PM House is to signal the need for education and human development if Pakistan is to develop and progress as a nation, the Express Tribune reported.
He added that the his government prioritises education and the gap between the government and the public should be lessened.
He also emphasised the need for higher education institutions of excellence and said funds recovered by the state through the accountability process would be channelled into developing the education sector.
His government has launched an accountability process to bring “the looted money of the nation” back to the country.
“Establishing the institute and the university is a fulfilment of PM Khan’s commitment to turn palatial official residences into facilities for public use,” said Mehmood.