HASSAN ABBAS 

LAHORE: Akhuwat, a non-profit organization, is all set to launch Pakistan’s first fee-free boarding university in August 2018, said Dr Amjad Saqib, founder and chief executive officer of Akuwat, while talking to Business Recorder.

He said this will be the first university of its kind where students from all over the country will be provided quality higher education for free. The land has been acquired in Kasur. The cost of first phase of construction is estimated at Rs 500 million.

He appealed to the Pakistani people to take the ownership of this project by donating one brick of Rs 1000 and with only 500,000 bricks this great vision will emerge as a phenomenal reality.

Those who have the resources should buy more than one brick. Each buyer of 10 bricks or more will have his/her name inscribed on ‘The Wall of Builders’.

He also said 75 percent students will get free education while 25 percent students will be given admission who can pay according to their convenience.

He said free education will be provided to only those students who are eligible having income below Rs 25000 per month or they are zakat deserving.

He said 20 percent quota will be reserved for students belonging to all four provinces of Pakistan.

Dr Amjad said AKHUWAT ventured into the education sector with the aim to make education easily accessible to every child.

Having established a College in Lahore already, AKHUWAT has opened the gates of its one-of-a-kind University in Faisalabad, titled AKHUWAT Faisalabad Institute of Research, Science and Technology (FIRST).

He said Akhuwat has envisioned an entirely new model of education to be implemented in its university that aims to integrate all moral values so that the students could realize their duties towards society and humanity.