PU to Help Rebuild Gaza Universities: VCPU faculty to teach Palestinian students online; scholarships and hostel facilities announced

By Our Staff Reporter Farzana Chaudhry

LAHORE: Punjab University (PU) Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali has announced that PU will extend full academic and institutional support to help rebuild universities in Gaza, adding that PU faculty members will voluntarily teach Palestinian students online.

He made these remarks during a meeting with a delegation of vice chancellors from Palestinian universities visiting PU on Wednesday. The delegation included Prof. Ayman M.F. Sobh, President of Al-Aqsa University; Prof. Saleem Sabah, Chairman Board of Trustees of the University of Palestine; and senior professors from Gaza University.

On the occasion, PU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood, Director External Linkages Prof. Dr. Yamina Salman, OIC-COMSTECH Focal Person Muhammad Murtaza Noor, and deans and administrative officers from various faculties were also present.

Facilitated by OIC-COMSTECH, the Palestinian delegation is on a seven-day visit to Pakistan to explore academic collaborations in higher education and health sectors as part of efforts to rebuild Gaza’s educational infrastructure.

Addressing the delegation, Dr. Muhammad Ali said that the people of Palestine are very close to our hearts, and reaffirmed PU’s commitment to supporting Palestinian students by providing free education and hostel facilities. He added that Pakistan has consistently raised a strong voice against atrocities in Gaza at international forums and has remained steadfast on its principled stance.

Calling the situation in Gaza “one of the worst genocides in human history,” Dr. Ali strongly condemned Israel’s aggression and reiterated PU’s readiness to assist in every possible way in the re-establishment of Gaza’s universities.

He stressed the need for technological advancement in Muslim countries to ensure self-reliance and resilience, noting that technological backwardness has left the Muslim world vulnerable. PU, he added, will also provide counseling support for Palestinian students coping with mental health challenges.

In response, Prof. Ayman M.F. Sobh expressed deep gratitude for Pakistan’s solidarity, saying that Palestinians are profoundly touched by the compassion of Pakistanis. He noted that all universities in Gaza have been destroyed in the ongoing war, and while online education has resumed, numerous challenges persist.

He expressed hope that following a ceasefire, reconstruction of Gaza’s educational institutions would begin soon. Muhammad Murtaza Noor added that special measures will be taken to facilitate Palestinian students’ admissions to Pakistani universities.