Lahore: One of the oldest and prestigious educational institutions of Paksitan, Government College University (GCU), completed its 148 years.
GCU was established as a college in the Haveli of Dhian Singh in the Walled City on January 1, 1864.
According to a press statement, the present gothic-style majestic building of the GCU, Lahore, was completed in 1877 on 3,700 square feet in the north of Soldiers Garden (Gol Bagh) at a cost of Rs320,000.
The college was initially affiliated with Calcutta University as there was no university in this part of the sub-continent at that time. Government College, Lahore, was raised to the status of university in 2002 and was renamed as Government College University, Lahore.
At that time, only one university, Calcutta University, was providing higher education in the subcontinent, therefore, it was decided that the GCU would be affiliated with it. After the establishment of Punjab University in 1882, GCU changed affiliations.
From the first principal, Dr GW Lietner, to the second vice chancellor, Prof Dr Muhammad Khaleequr Rahman, as many as 27 heads have served the great institution.
Talking to media, current VC Prof Dr Muhammad Khaleequr Rahman said that the academic journey that started in 1864 with just nine students and three teachers produced hundreds of literary figures, politicians, two Nobel Laureates, five prime ministers, jurists, sportsmen and scientists.
He proudly said that Poet of the East Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, NM Rashid, Patras Bukhari, Ashfaq Ahmad, Qudsia Bano, Pakistani Nobel Laureate Prof Dr Abdus Salam, Chief Justice MR Kyani, Chief Justice Naseem Hassan Shah, Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, Justice (r) Khalilur Rahman Ramday, Justice (r) Khawja Muhammad Sharif and Lahore High Court Chief Justice Shiekh Azamt Saeed are all former students of GCU. He further said that the university also produced five prime ministers; Feroz Khan Noon, Yousaf Raza Gilani, Nawaz Sharif, Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Moeen Qureshi, in addition to hundreds of political leaders, including Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Hanif Ramay and former governor Salmaan Taseer. Tennis star Aisamul Haq, cricketers Amir Sohail, Ramiz Raja, Inzamamul Haq and Salim Malik are also Old Ravains, he said.
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