A few days following the announcement by the Punjab government led by Maryam Nawaz in Pakistan’s Punjab province about the establishment of an Imperial College London campus at Nawaz Sharif IT City in Lahore, the university has refuted the claim. Imperial College London clarified that it currently has no intentions of setting up a campus outside the United Kingdom. The Punjab government’s assertion faced backlash, including criticism from an Imperial College alumnus.
On October 18, the Punjab government declared that the UK-based institution would establish a campus at Lahore’s IT City, with plans to lay the foundation stone in November and include a 300-bed hospital on the campus. Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb of Punjab also supported this announcement in a separate statement.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz endorsed the government’s post. However, Imperial College London promptly denied the claim. In an official correction released on Tuesday, the university stated that the reports on its plans to open a campus overseas were inaccurate.
Imperial College London emphasized that it has no such intentions, with all its campuses located in the UK. The university advised students to refer to its official statements for updates on any developments related to Imperial College of London.
Following the controversy, Javed Hassan, a former chairman of Islamabad’s National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and an Imperial College alumnus, criticized the false claim made by Maryam Nawaz’s government. Hassan highlighted the discrepancy between the announcement and the actual plans of Imperial College, emphasizing the importance of verification.
The Nawaz Sharif IT City, spanning 853 acres, was inaugurated by Maryam Nawaz last year and is reported to be tax-free for a decade. The government claimed that numerous international tech companies are interested in establishing offices in the city.