LAHORE        -          Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh on Wednesday, laid stress on research for alternative energy resources and mass trees plantation to protect Pakistan against environmental degradation.

He was addressing the concluding session of the two-day 18th convocation of his alma mater, the Government College University, Lahore, where he along with Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi awarded medals to the position-holders of MS/MPhil programs and rolls of honor to the graduates who excelled in co-curricular activities and sports.

The Chief Justice was accompanied by his fellow judges; Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, Justice Faisal Zaman Khan, Justice Masud Abid Naqvi, Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabir, Justice Anwaarul Haq Pannun and Justice Shakil-ur-Rehman Khan.

The wife of Mamoon Rashid Sheikh Honorable Chief Justice, was the Guest of Honor while Registrar Lahore High Court Ashtar Abbas also attended the convocation proceedings.

“Pakistan is badly affected by the global warming and in such situation, deforestation of any kind is suicide,” said the Chief Justice who also shared his college memories with the young graduates.

He said that it had been an honour for him to be a student of a historical institution like Government College Lahore. He said his father, brother and many family members were also Ravians. He said that 14 out of 43 judges of Lahore High Court were Ravian, which was a testimony to the importance of this great institution.

Referring to a meeting in London with the late Ravian Nobel Laureate Dr Abdul Salam, he said that Dr Salam had spoken about the importance of biotechnology when no one was familiar with the concept.

He assured the Vice Chancellor of his all-out support for establishing the law faculty at the GCU Lahore.

He also paid glowing tribute to the teachers who taught him at the Government College Lahore.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi shared his vision for the development of GCU, saying that “Indeed, there is a lot to be proud of in our history– yet, there is little time to rest on these laurels. The strategic need is to develop the potential of the GCU staff to maximize our contributions to the GCU and to the rest of society.”

He shared his plans and initiatives for improving the quality of education, strengthening research and innovation base and linkages to the policy-making communities and industries, modernizing the state of university governance and infrastructure and populating the newly built campus at the Kala Shah Kaku.

He said that more than six research chairs had been lying vacant at the GCU for many years and they were now encouraging the highly-qualified and eminent persons to come forth and occupy these research chairs.

Earlier, Punjab Minister for Higher Education Raja Yassir Humayun chaired the first session on second day of the convocation where he along with eminent painter artist Salima Hashmi and former GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khaleeq-ur-Rahman awarded medals to the position-holders of BA/BSc (Hons) programs.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the government wanted GCU to occupy a leading place in the international ranking of top universities of the world. He congratulated the graduates asking them to preserve the traditions of creativity, insight and perseverance which were always cherished at GCU.