By Syed Mussarat Khalil
JEDDAH — Aleema Khan, member of Board of Governors of Namal Education Foundation (NEF) Pakistan, said NEF is a knowledge center and not only an education institute. The center, which has been totally constructed on donations, will admit students on merit bases and not on charity.
She was speaking in the seminar organized by friends of Namal at Zaafran restaurant Sari Street here on Monday.
She said “We are supporting the project of Imran Khan because this is one of his dreams of developing the area into a knowledge city similar to the Oxford University.”
She said people are good in Pakistan. They helped and supported the project which is now coming up in China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route and will provide high quality education facilities of international standard.
“This has been possible with the help of local and international partners,” she said.
She said there are more than 300 students studying for University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, degrees at Namal College, and more than 90% of whom are on financial support.
She added that the second phase of construction is expected to begin shortly and will include on-campus faculty and student accommodation premises and research laboratories.
NEF owns 1000 acres of land and she explained that NEF is all set to build a knowledge city in Pakistan.
Earlier, Zulqarnain Ali Khan, chief organizer of Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for Saudi Arabia and Middle East, welcomed Qasim Zaman, CEO, and Abid Hussain, director marketing NEF and distinguished guests.
Anwar Hussain Kamdi shed light on the importance of education citing from the few verses of Holy Qur’an. Shams ul Rehman Toor conducted the ceremony. Farrukh Rasheed, focal person for NEF, received her at King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) Jeddah.
Aleema Khan is sister of cricketer-turned-politician and chairman of PTI Imran Khan, and is also chairman of the Board of Governors Namal Education Foundation (NEF), which is the sponsoring body of Namal Knowledge City.
During her five days stay in Kingdom, Aleema Khan will also perform Umrah and visit Prophet’s in Madinah.
Large number of noted community members, from Jeddah, Makkah, Taif, Madinah, Riyadh attended the seminar. The vote of thanks was delivered by Rasheed.
