RAWALPINDI- Vice Chancellor Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University (PMAS-AAUR) Rawalpindi Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Khan Wednesday said development projects worth Rs1244 million were underway as the university campus had increased five to six times of its original building. Dr Mahmood was addressing the 10th convocation of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University (PMAS-AAUR). As many as thirty-nine students of various disciplines were decorated with medals in the function here Wednesday. Besides, some 1138 graduating students were awarded degrees and 19 scholars were also awarded PhD degrees on successfully completing their studies. He said that progress with regard to human resource development, which is considered to be a primary objective of any academic and research institution, had been remarkable during the last year in PMAS-AAUR. "It is a matter of pride for me to inform that during the past year, 19 people qualified their PhDs, which is an ever increasing number at this campus," he remarked. Congratulating the graduates he wished them success in future. "It is clear that the future holds great opportunities. It also holds pitfalls. The trick will be to avoid pitfalls and seize opportunities. You must, like birds, leave behind what you don't need to carry: grudges, sadness, pain, fear and regrets," he advised. He expressed concerns regarding serious financial cuts in HEC funds, which was main sponsor of the development, and research in academic programmes. However, he hoped that in coming days these problems would be overcome. The vice chancellor hoped that with the changing environment in scientific and technological advancements the university researchers would continue their march to further developments and attain brilliance. "We should all strive to achieve the best research output, aimed at improving the country's wearing out resources so as to support the alarmingly increasing population," he added. Students who successfully completed their Ph.D. in the disciplines of Agriculture include Ahmad Bilal (Food Technology), Muhammad Ayub Khan (Plant Breeding and Genetics), Muhammad Zameer Khan (Soil Science) while PhD in the disciplines of Sciences were Darukhshinda Kokub (Biochemistry), Sumbul Khalid (Biochemistry), Aish Muhammad (Biochemistry), Saima Siddiqi (Biochemistry), Tanvir Ahmad (Biochemistry), Sajid Mehmood (Biochemistry), Sh Badar-uz-Zaman (Botany), Zafar Iqbal (Botany), Abdul Rab (Zoology) and PhD in the discipline of Education were Muhammad Naseer-ud-Din (Education), Sajid Rehman (Education), Ghazala Shaheen (Education), Abdur Rahman Khaleeq (Education), Shahida Perveen (Education), Javed Iqbal (Education), Umbreen Ishfaq (Education).