Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali has
pledged full academic support to assist in rebuilding Gaza’s war-damaged
universities. PU will provide free education, online teaching, and mental
health counselling for Palestinian students, underscoring Pakistan’s solidarity
with Gaza’s educational recovery efforts.
PU’s Commitment to Gaza University Rebuilding
As reported by APP (Pakistan Press International), Punjab
University (PU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali announced on 22 October
2025 that PU will extend comprehensive academic support to the universities in
Gaza, severely impacted by the ongoing conflict. Prof Dr Ali emphasised PU’s
readiness to provide free education and hostel facilities to Palestinian
students, along with counselling services to those affected by trauma during
his meeting with a visiting delegation of vice chancellors from Gaza
universities. The delegation included President of Al-Aqsa University Prof
Ayman M.F. Sobh, Chairman Board of Trustees of University of Palestine Prof
Saleem Sabah, and senior faculty members from Gaza University. PU Pro-Vice
Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood and Director External Linkages Prof Dr Yamina
Salman also attended the meeting alongside officials from OIC-COMSTECH who
facilitated the visit. The delegation's seven-day visit aimed to explore
academic collaborations to rebuild Gaza’s higher education and health sectors.
Prof Dr Ali stated,
"The people of Palestine are very close to the hearts of Pakistanis,"
urging Muslim countries to advance in
science and technology to strengthen their global position. PU faculty members
will also voluntarily teach Palestinian students online as part of this support
initiative. He described the Gaza situation as one of the worst genocides in
human history and reiterated PU’s commitment to assist every way possible in
re-establishing Gaza’s universities.
Academic Collaboration Framework and COMSTECH Role
In a related report by Iran Press, the Palestine-Pakistan
Vice Chancellors Forum convened in Islamabad recently, marking a major step toward
joint academic cooperation and rebuilding Gaza's educational institutions. This
forum was hosted by COMSTECH, a subsidiary of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC), and focused on partnerships in higher education, research,
and capacity building. Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Education Prof Dr Khalid
Maqbool Siddiqui called the forum a historic step and announced allocation of
5,000 scholarships for Palestinian students to study in Pakistan.
Palestinian Ambassador Dr Zaheer Muhammad Hamdullah Zaid
expressed hope that international peace commitments will be upheld and
highlighted education’s vital role in empowering Palestinian youth. Similarly,
Prof Dr Ayman Al-Sabah, President of Al-Aqsa University Gaza, thanked Pakistan
and COMSTECH for fostering new academic opportunities and hope for students and
researchers despite the war's hardships.
COMSTECH’s ongoing support was further underscored in a
Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Gaza-Palestine Universities
Consortium. This partnership focuses on faculty development, sabbatical visits,
short-term training, and advancing scientific cooperation in fields like
artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, medicine, and natural sciences. Prof Dr
Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, OIC-COMSTECH Coordinator General, highlighted this as
a vital step to connect Gaza universities with over eighty OIC member
institutions, bolstering the rebuilding and resilience of Gaza’s academic
sector.
Context of Gaza’s Educational Crisis
Gaza’s educational institutions have been heavily damaged by
the conflict, severely disrupting academic progress. Palestinian academics have
issued urgent appeals for global volunteer lecturers and additional support to
rebuild their war-ravaged universities. The destruction of campuses threatens
not only current students’ education but also the long-term survival of Gaza’s
higher education system, which local and international academic partnerships
aim to restore.
Over recent years, Punjab University has demonstrated
solidarity with Palestine, including organising rallies condemning attacks on
Gaza and supporting Palestinian rights, as reported by PU official sources and
media. The current academic collaboration initiatives represent a continuation
and expansion of these longstanding ties.
Responses from Punjab University Officials
Meeting the Gaza delegation, Punjab University Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood reiterated PU’s enthusiastic participation in these rebuilding efforts. PU’s educational staff volunteer engagement in teaching online and hosting Palestinian students underlines the university’s tangible commitment to this cause. The presence of OIC-COMSTECH officials highlights the multilateral dimension of this support involving broader Islamic academic networks.
The joint efforts between Palestinian universities, PU, and COMSTECH establish a foundation for sustainable rehabilitation through faculty exchanges, scholarship programmes, and collaborative research. These initiatives are expected to assist Gaza in overcoming current academic isolation and infrastructure destruction, helping rebuild an education sector that empowers Palestinian youth academically and socially.