Karachi – Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah reaffirmed his government’s strong commitment to advancing higher education, digital inclusion, and youth empowerment during a vibrant event at NED University. The ceremony marked the inauguration of new academic facilities and the distribution of Chromebooks to top-performing students of the People’s Information Technology Programme (PITP) — a groundbreaking initiative launched in collaboration with public universities and Tech Valley.
Joined by leading figures in higher education and government, including Chairman Sindh HEC Prof. Dr Tarique Rafi, Chairman CIEC Dr Sarosh Lodi, Chairman IT Noor Ahmed Samoo, and university Vice Chancellors, the Chief Minister underscored education as the cornerstone of Sindh’s development vision.
He proudly announced a record Rs42 billion allocation for public sector universities this fiscal year — the highest among all provinces — to support academic operations, research, innovation, and infrastructure development.
At the event, CM Murad Ali Shah also inaugurated key infrastructure projects at NED University: A new Department of Food Engineering building, complete with modern laboratories, constructed at a cost of Rs96.48 million. An International Boys Hostel accommodating 112 students, built for Rs67.11 million. A newly completed Girls’ Hostel block, supporting 52 female students, funded with Rs98.52 million, aimed at improving gender parity in technical education, Highlighting the success of PITP, a transformative digital upskilling programme delivered in partnership with NED University, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology (MUET), Sukkur IBA, and Tech Valley, the Chief Minister shared that 13,565 students have been trained under PITP-I — surpassing expectations. Of these, 4,353 graduates have secured employment, collectively contributing Rs49 million in direct income to Sindh’s economy.
CM Shah praised the inclusive reach of the programme, noting 40% female participation at Sukkur IBA, 36% at NED, and 33.6% at MUET, where 62% of students hail from rural backgrounds.
In a show of merit-based recognition, the Chief Minister distributed 300 Google Chromebooks/laptops to the highest-performing PITP students. The devices, provided in partnership with Tech Valley, were awarded through a transparent selection process tailored to each institution’s performance criteria.
Murad Ali Shah acknowledged the leadership of Vice Chancellors Dr Sarosh Lodi, Dr Muhammad Tufail, Dr Tauha Hussain Ali, and Dr Asif Shaikh, along with the dedicated PITP teams and Tech Valley CEO Umer Farooq, for their collaborative role in delivering impactful tech training across Sindh.
He also recognized the Science and IT Department’s key contributors — Noor Ahmed Samoo, Dr Shahzeb Malik, and Athar Baloch — for their tireless efforts in making the programme a success.
“We’re not just training students — we’re creating opportunities, building a knowledge economy, and driving social mobility,” the Chief Minister said. “PITP shows what public universities can achieve when empowered, and partnerships like the one with Tech Valley help us bring world-class tools and opportunities to our youth.”
He concluded by reaffirming his government’s commitment to a digitally inclusive and economically resilient Sindh, where every student has the tools and support to succeed — regardless of background or location.
