Fall is the best season to visit Islamabad, especially if I know that I would be traveling down south/south-west to my birthplace Faisalabad, formerly Lyallpur. This time around I had the special privilege to travel 200 Kilometers towards a small town called Rikhi, right off of Talagang on ancient Grand Trunk Road, with an intention to explore a hidden gem tucked right in the middle of the world’s largest collection of salt mines (ranges).
This gem turned out to be more than jadeite. The gem is known as NAMAL.
Officially inaugurated in 2008, NAMAL University – as it was once called – has evolved into NAMAL Knowledge City.
To my surprise, this remote and underdeveloped area was thriving with the laughter and bustling of young and motivated men and women getting a quality education. NAMAL Institute is located on the banks of historically amazing NAMAL Lake, which presents the most gorgeous of sunsets in Pakistan.
Writer Imran Igra with NAMAL students, Image Credit: Imran Igra
NAMAL sits on 4000-kanal land, much of which is yet to be transformed into various advanced faculties.
As you zigzag your way on the GT Road, leaving behind Talagang City, a romantically majestic campus appears on the left. For a moment, I could not comprehend who would want to come here to study Computer Sciences, Electrical Engineering, Business Administration or Agriculture Sciences. This place is surrounded by the most disadvantaged and the most underrepresented towns of Pakistan. Quality higher education was something they never even dreamed of.
Thanks to the current Prime Minister Imran Khan, who came up with this unique idea to build a world class University that one day would aspire to be just as good as Oxford of England. The only catch was that education would be free and it would cater to those students who cannot afford higher education or purse a professional degree.
Image Credit:NAMAL / Imran Igra
This sounded like a crazy idea at first. But Imran Khan is known for his determination to make impossible things a reality. Originally starting with 40 kanal of land, donated by a local, Khan set out on a mission to put together a team of professionals and commenced work on it. But then, funds, construction, staff and students flocked to NAMAL. Soon, everyone wanted to be part of this unique opportunity.
Ten years later, NAMAL has close to 300 students enrolled from close to 60 diverse districts of Pakistan in disciplines of Business, Engineering and Computer Sciences. I met students from far-off and underdeveloped areas like the Saraiki Belt, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sukkur in Sindh. I had breakfast and lunch in the NAMAL cafeteria with the students and was surprised to notice the quality of food and standards of hygiene were no less than at any esteemed institution.
Close to 90% of these students get education free of cost, and 100% of them have 85% or higher marks in their high school. A very competitive way to get in. More than 70% of the teachers are PhDs and foreign graduates. I met most of them and they took me around to see well stocked library, labs and various activity clubs for students.
The writer with students, Credit: Imran Igra
The landscape in and around school was just to die for with the lake as the NAMAL’s backdrop. No noise pollution, for sure. Cricket ground at the front resembles that of Lord’s ground. Student hostels are at about a 10-minute bus ride, which NAMAL has covered as well.
About 80% of the students live in dorms while others are from local towns. Graduates get prompt job placement assistance, or they move on to postgraduate degree programs abroad.
With the need for a bigger facility to accommodate more students and staff, NAMAL will constantly need an influx of funds to support these programs and to expand its programs. Thousands of poor and disadvantaged talented students can make their future right here and be an important part of the Pakistani society.
My special thanks to Sajjad Barki, Qasim Zaman, Abid Hussain, Atif Khan, Najam Sheikh, Subica, Khadijah and Ms. Wardah for facilitating and making the the unforgettable visit to NAMAL possible.
As for education, the first word of revelation to our Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was “Iqra”, which translates into “Read”. Clearly, Allah wants us to learn, educate and get knowledge according to Islam. I believe supporting projects like NAMAL in Pakistan is a great way to help humanity. Just experience the joy of these kids in having access to quality education and have shine in their eyes every morning when they go to their classrooms, ready to learn.
I was told that people desiring to help can become a member of NAMAL and sponsor a student or sponsor one of many projects there. It is a noble, just cause spearheaded by someone who is a champion of philanthropy himself, Imran Khan. God bless you and your loved ones. Amen.
