Land mafia delays classes at Mian Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology Multan

By Muhammad Aamir Hussaini

MULTAN — Classes at the new campus of Mian Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology (MNS UET) in Multan have yet to commence due to the illegal occupation of the university’s land, hindering the construction of the boundary wall.

The land grabbers are reportedly pressuring the university to exclude four acres on the northern and southern sides of the 210-acre site, located near Chak 14/Faiz, near Qasba Lar on Bahawalpur Road. University officials have called for Commissioner Multan Division Maryam Khan to take immediate notice of the situation.

Despite construction beginning in 2020, and the university intending to complete the boundary wall by 2023, only 3,300 square feet of the wall on the eastern and western sides have been completed.

The university administration faces significant challenges completing the northern and southern sections of the wall due to illegal occupiers who have taken over parts of the land designated for a public road, with additional demands to further reduce the university’s property. The land mafia’s actions have delayed the start of classes by nearly two years.

A senior MNS UET official revealed that four consecutive Deputy Commissioners, including current Deputy Commissioner Hamid Sandhu, have been formally notified of the illegal land occupation and threats from the land mafia.

The official stated that land grabbers’ thugs have been intimidating university staff, despite this, local authorities have failed to take decisive action.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government established MNS UET’s new campus in 2012, utilizing the Government College of Technology (GCT) Qasim Pur building. However, the facilities proved inadequate for the university’s academic and administrative requirements

To address this, the Punjab government allocated 210 acres of land for the construction of a new campus, with plans to fully operationalize the site by 2023.

Illegal occupation has stalled the university’s progress by preventing the completion of a boundary wall on the northern and southern sides, despite the completion of significant infrastructure, including the Vice Chancellor’s office, academic blocks, and faculty departments.

The university administration has officially appealed to Commissioner Multan Division Maryam Khan, Deputy Commissioner Hamid Sandhu, and other local officials, requesting immediate intervention to remove the illegal occupants and allow the boundary wall’s construction to continue.

The administration has emphasized that the ongoing land dispute not only jeopardizes the security and functionality of the campus but also restricts the expansion of admissions and new courses due to the limited space at the existing MNS UET building.

As the situation stands, the new campus of MNS UET remains incomplete, and regular classes are yet to begin, affecting the educational prospects of students in the region.

The university administration continues to urge local authorities to take decisive action against the land mafia and resolve the issue promptly.