Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor has said that for a turnaround of Pakistani economy, rapid industrialization and complete self reliance in shape of import substitution, it needs to overhaul and revamp our engineering education.
He said our major engineering university, NED University of Engineering and Technology Karachi, is celebrating its 100 years anniversary and it is the need of hour to make a new strategy on this occasion to ensure turnaround of this prestigious varsity and make it a center of excellence of engineering education.
Altaf Shakoor, himself a graduate of NED and past president of its students union, said that now time has come to keep away this university from the influence of ruling Pakistan People’s Party, as the politicians would surely try their best to ruin this prestigious varsity of Pakistan for their vested interests.
He said that this is an era of tough competition and the NED University could not progress till it gets much needed overhauling. He said that many engineering universities of Pakistan that were established after the NED varsity are much ahead of it due to professional management and readiness for a tougher competition.
He said if the NED wants to hold its 100 year celebrations in a befitting manner, the alumni of the varsity have to come forward boldly. He said the responsibility of the alumni does not end with announcement about renovation of classrooms. He said that the alumni should come forward to take over their varsity in terms of shared management.
He said using the NED for political purposes is just shameful. He asked why the research projects done in this university are not successful on commercial basis. He said that in the present circumstances the NED University needs drastic change in many sectors so that it could be run as per the needs and requirements of present era.
He also demanded overhauling of whole engineering education system in Pakistan and introducing new disciplines and technologies that are in high demand in fast changing job market.
He said that on the occasion of the 100 year celebrations, the big gift that we could give to the NED University is to modernize it and run it on the model of shared governance.
