Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal inaugurated three centres including Pakistan China Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences, Dr. A. Q. Khan Institute of Material and Emerging Sciences and the Centre of Excellence for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CE-CPEC) at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad. These Higher Education Commission (HEC)-sponsored centers, approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), were formally launched during a ceremony held at the QAU.
Speaking at the occasion, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the centers would play a key role in producing world-class researchers. He said these projects remained pending for the last four years but the incumbent government ensured their launch. The minister said Pakistan China Joint Research Centres would play a vital role in producing researchers who would prove to be beneficial in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
During his address at the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, Vice Chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University, expressed gratitude to the government and Chinese counterparts for recognizing and approving the concept of the research centers. The Vice-Chancellor briefed the audience about the research centers.
