Pakistan Marine Academy transferred to HEC

The Pakistan Marine Academy (PMA) was formally transferred to the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The function was presided over by HEC Member (Operation and Planning) Professor Dr Mukhtar Ahmed Member.
He assured that the HEC would make all efforts to see that a world class engineering university is established with a Faculty of Marine Sciences which would be capable of catering to the need of Pakistan and the world outside.
He said developments in the maritime sector are of prime importance to achieve the goals of engineering in Pakistan. We have to lay equal emphasis to the improvement in education in various disciplines of maritime sciences.
He said that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed in April 2006 by HEC Chairman Professor Atta-ur-Rahman and Ports and Shipping Minister Senator Babar Khan Ghauri for the transfer of the premises along with the assets and liabilities of the Pakistan Marine Academy, Karachi, free of cost to the HEC for the establishment of the University of Engineering, Science and Technology, Pakistan.
The summary for the transfer of this facility to the HEC for the establishment of UESTP was approved by the Prime Minister, who laid the foundation stone of the UESTP on April 29, 2006.
The ceremony was attended by the distinguished guests from the Civic Society, officers and staff of the Academy. The flag of the Academy was handed over to Professor Mukhtar Ahmed as a symbol of the transfer. Commodore Imran Ansari, in his Address of welcome, highlighted the functions of the Academy and the services it was offering to produce quality graduates to serve in the Merchant Navy.
Vice Admiral Muhammad Asad Qureshi HI (M) - the DG (Ports and Shipping) also addressed the ceremony. He congratulated the Commandant, Faculty and staff of PMA on their hard work leading to smooth transfer of the Academy to the HEC.
He assured HEC that the Ministry of Ports and Shipping shall offer full support and co-operation to HEC in their noble endeavours to establish quality institutions.
At the end, he offered the best wishes and sincere prayers for the HEC and the PMA in this prestigious project of national significance. Professor Syed Altaf Hussain, project director of the UESTP-France at Karachi informed in his speech that the University of Engineering Sciences and Technology Pakistan is being established in collaboration with the University of Technology Troyes, France and that the Academy will be transformed into a Centre of Excellence in Maritime Engineering.