Imran wears many hats. He retired from cricket as a champion,
charismatic leader in 1992 after winning the biggest prize in world
cricket-World Cup. After launching himself into politics with the
formation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, he focused on social issues
of the poor and is still struggling for corruption-free society.
Imran Khan's politics is about power to the people, not for power.
He scaled another peak of excellence when he gifted a unique
University to people of Pakistan on 27 April 2008. The opening of
Namal College in Mianwali adds another golden feather in the cap of
Imran Khan, who has combined philanthropy with politics to pursue
some highly unachievable health and educational projects. First, it
was a world-class cancer hospital in memory of his mother, Shaukat
Khanum, now comes a Technical University in association with
Bradford University, London, just a month after his father
Ikramullah Khan Niazi passed away on 19 March 2008.
"The state education system in Pakistan is in an advanced state of
decay, and there is massive rural unemployment. I want to make young
people employable by arming them with skills they will need to get
jobs", says Pakistan cricket-legend-turned politician and chairman
of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after the inauguration of Namal College
in Mianwali, his home constituency, 350 km south of Lahore,
provincial capital of Punab in Pakistan. Imran represented Mianwali
in the last Pakistan parliament between 2002-2007. Pakistan Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani himself was present in the afternoon of
27 April 2008 at Mianwali to launch the much-awaited Namal College.
The college has already been granted status of `Associate College'
of Bradford University, London. As a matter of fact, Imran Khan was
appointed Chancellor of Bradford University in December of 2005. In
the 42-year old history of Bradford, he is the first Pakistani
Chancellor of any British Universities. The first Chancellor of
Bradford University was former Labour Prime Minister of Britain,
Harold Wilson.
Speaking at the grand opening ceremony, Imran said, " When I set out
on building a cancer hospital in memory of my mother, Shaukat
Khanum, a vast crowd of people called it an impossible, foolish
dream chase. I proved them wrong. Now, another dream of providing
quality education through a world-class university has been realised
with Namal College. I hope youth of Mianwali will be able to enjoy
quality technical and professional education, which will help them
get decent jobs and living. It will be a world class knowledge city
where scholars can work and study in oxford-like academic
atmosphere".
Imran was clear in his vision right from the beginning of the
project in early 2006. When he was appointed chancellor of Bradford
University, he persuaded the British university administration to
help him set up a `Knowledge City' in heart of his ancestral
district, Mianwali. He told the vice chancellor that he can
contribute to the cause of enhancing the quality of life and serving
of all the communities by providing high quality technical and
professional education, research and training courses by helping him
build Namal College. In order to accomplish the dream project,
Mianwali Development Trust was set up under the chairmanship of
Imran Khan to develop the college. The site of the college was
chosen on Talagung-Mianwali road near beautiful, scenic Namal Lake.
A local resident, Ghulam Muhammed volunteered to donate about 50,000
sq.km of land for the college.
Bradford University is one of the leading universities in UK,
especially in engineering and management courses. So far, the
University of Bradford has granted `Associate College Status' to
only 8 colleges in UK and three outside, including Namal College,
Mianwali. All credit goes to Imran Khan. Initially, the University
will be helping in designing courses and curriculum, ensuring
quality assurance mechanism and training and development of the
faculty. In the beginning, the curriculum will focus on construction
engineering, automotive engineering, electrical and agricultural
engineering.
Majority of students will come from areas surrounding Mianwali where
they don't find adequate opportunities of quality education. Most
importantly, they will be given admission on the basis of their
economic condition. So, poor students will get a golden chance to
study in a world-class academic environment akin to Oxford free of
cost. Only a philanthropist and people's politician like Imran Khan
could do this for poor in his country, just as he built Shaukhat
Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Johar Town,
Lahore where over 2,00,000 cancer patients have received treatment
free of cost over the past 10 years. The educational hub will be
useful for the people living in under-developed areas of Mianwali,
Chakwal, Bhakkar and Attock of Pakistan. Located on the bank of
river Indus, Miawali is a semi-tribal district, and is located in
the north-western Punjab, bordering North West Frontier Province.
Imran's grandfather home is also in Mianwali. However, Imran's
mother, Shaukat Khanum migrated from Jallundher in Indian Punjab
during partition of British India in 1947.

However, Imran's vision is to transform this institution into
a `Knowledge City', which will be open to students from other
countries, including India as well. It is important to note that
Mianwali area doesn't have any facility for technical training.
Which is why Namal College in association with the University of
Bradford will bring a great deal of benefit to not only the Mianwali
district of Pakistan, but the whole of Pakistan. One million People
of Mianwali valued Imran's dream, the son of the soil, very highly.
So much so that they offered their lands for the college project.
But Imran chose 40-acre area on the highway near Namal lake. Imran
Khan is amongst the some leading world celebrities who have used
their talents to advocate for children on behalf of Unicef as a
special representatives. He has used his high profile personality to
support health and immunisation programmes in England, Africa,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

frankhuzur@rediffmail.com