DERA GHAZI KHAN: The Ghazi University of Dera Ghazi Khan held its first convocation on Monday under Vice-Chancellor Dr Muhammad Tufail Ghazi and conferred degrees upon graduates to be called Gazians.

The Ghazi University was established in 2014 under the University Act passed in 2012.

Governor (as chancellor of the university)Baleeghur Rehaman awarded medals to position holders at a ceremony held here on the premises of the university. Up to 3,000 students gottheir degrees.

The governor said collaboration between universities would enhance the abilities of faculty and students, so universities should be linked with the demands of knowledge and corporate markets.

Later, the governor talked to the media that the PML-N would make south Punjab and Bahawalpur provinces after getting a two-thirds majority while `at present, we have not given any 100-day promise time for the creation of new provinces`.He said a consensus in the Punjab Assembly, the National Assembly and the Senate was required for the creation of new provinces.

He said the Bahawalpur state extended help to Pakistan at the time of partition, and that is why the PML-N was in favour of the establishment of two provinces -south Punjab and Bahawalpur. In Punjab, whenever the PML-N get a majority, we would pass a bill for two provinces.

He claimed the government wanted to have at least one university in every district, but there were financial difficulties to meet the goal. He said the recent budget for higher education has significantly been increased and development grants have also been increased by 68 per cent.

In the past, several universities, including Ghazi University, were established and now the ongoing projects in higher education would be completed and new projects would be initiated.

The governor said that the PML-N government introduced net metering in the past to solve power supply problems and the trend of solar green energy is increasing across the country.

He encouraged the shif ting of universities to solar energy. Correspondent