Date posted: October 15, 2012

A Turkish foundation has offered to establish state-of-the-art institutions across the province in a bid to help the Sindh government improve the education sector. The offer was made by a Turkish delegation led by the chairman of Pak-Turk Schools and Colleges of Fethullah Gulen movement of Turkey. It was headed by Mr. Unal Tosur and he made the announcement on Thursday during a reception dinner hosted by Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro at a local hotel.

Turkish Consul General in Karachi Murat M. Onart and a number of other lawmakers also attended the dinner.

Mr. Tosur shed light on the role of Fethullah Gulen in promoting education in Turkey and said that all problems could be solved by finding a common ground. Talking about the foundation, he said that the Fethullah Gulen, besides operating 18 schools in eight cities across Pakistan, was also collaborating with Syed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (Szabist) on various projects.

Mr. Tosur also showed a keen interest in expanding the network of Pak-Turk schools and colleges and said that the foundation was ready to set up a high-quality institution if land was provided for it in Karachi.

During the day, Mr. Tosur and his delegation visited the site of a medical city in Thatta district being set up by Szabist. The government has provided Szabist with land in Islamabad and other cities as well to set up educational institutions.

While highlighting the features of the medical city, Dr. Suleman Shaikh of Szabist said that the city would comprise 10 institutions including medical, nursing and dental schools and a trauma centre. A windmill power project was also planned by Szabist in partnership with Gulen movement and construction work would begin in December, he added.

In his welcome address, Mr. Khuhro said the bonds of brotherhood between the people of Turkey and Pakistan were centuries old.

Source: Dawn Newspaper, KARACHI, Oct 12

Tags: Asia | Education | Hizmet-inspired schools | Pakistan |