LAHORE: As many as 11,654 graduates were awarded degrees during the19th annualconvocation of the Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan, on Thursday, with 341 of them conferred gold medals for their outstanding performance.

The convocation was held at the packed Jinnah Auditorium as the university celebrates its golden jubilee year.

Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan presided over the ceremony as chief guest. Federal Minister of State for Education Wajiha Qamar and vice chancellors from several other institutions were also present.

Addressing the graduates, the governor, who is also chancellor of all universities in the province, said the first page of their professional lives would start now.

He particularly praised the BZU`s recent administrative reforms implemented by Vice Chancellor Dr Zubair Iqbal, noting that the varsity`s new Student Facilitation Centre and digital transformation initiatives should serveas a model for other institutions across Punjab.

`In just six months, we`ve seen 17 percent energy cost savings through solar power and revolutionary improvements in the student services,` Dr Iqbal said.

Paying tributes to the parents and faculty, the governor said, `Behind every graduate`s success stand countless sleepless nights by mothers, financial sacrifices by fathers, and the dedication of our teaching staff.

He announced plans to revitalise university sports programmes, directing the administration to establish competitive teams and hold regular inter-university tournaments.

`We must produce scholars who are as physically robust as they are mentally sharp,` he asserted.

As graduates streamed out of the auditorium in their ceremonial robes, many paused to reflect on their journey.

`This moment makes all those late-night study sessions worthwhile, said a gold medalist, Usman Ali, clutching his mechanical engineering degree.

`Now the real work begins.