RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: Vibeke Jensen, country director of United Nations Educational and Scientific Organization (Unesco) Wednesday said that Unesco and Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKIEST) could explore ways to work together in water research field.

She held a detailed meeting with Jehangir Bashar, Rector of GIK Institute. Prof Dr Javed A Chattha, Pro-Rector (Academic), Ahsan Baseer Sheikh, Pro-Rector (admin and Finance), and other officials also graced the occasion.

In a detailed meeting, they discussed ways and means to work together and agreed to continue their interaction to start work while exploiting the water resources in the best interest of the country.

"We are extremely keen to launch research work on the water. We have many advantages while situating too close to River Indus and sharing boundary with Tarbela Dam," said Bashar.

He informed Jensen that Engr Shamsul Mulk, President GIK Institute parent body, Society for the Promotion of Engineering Sciences and Technology in Pakistan (SOPREST), was a worldwide known expert in field of water and his wide knowledge in this area could be exploited by the two institutions.

She was told that it had been planned by GIK Institute which is soon launching civil engineering programme and water would be its essential part.

Jensen said talks between Unesco and GIK Institute would continue to explore ways for working together while researching on water resources to use the same in the welfare of the people.

She also said that Unesco also wanted to provide financial support to the girls in getting quality education. "However, we could not support individual but the institutions/universities to support the girls across the country to acquire higher education," she explained.

Another area which came under discussion was the photonic engineering which is planned to be launched very soon by GIK Institute.

Ms Jensen had also shown interest in the field photonic engineering which would be further discussed in future interaction between the officials of the two institutions.

Prof Chattha said Women Engineering Society of GIK Institute could also prove very helpful to work on girls' education. Project Topi, another society, has also worked in diverse fields for welfare of the people of this area.