LAHORE - The 122nd convocation of Punjab University (PU) was held at Faisal Auditorium on Saturday. A total of 180 PhD, 390 MPhil/MS, 343 Masters and 181 undergraduate degrees were awarded to the students.
As many as 162 medals were given to deserving students of Masters and undergraduate programmes with 87 and 75 medals respectively. A total of 1256 degrees, medals and prizes were distributed in the convocation. This year, the PU has produced 180 PhDs which is the highest number of PhD production in any university of the country in a year. 
The convocation chaired by PU Vice Chancellor (VC) Mujahid Kamran while Controller Examinations Prof Dr Liaqat Ali, Registrar Prof Dr Khan Rass Masood, Dean Faculty of Science Prof Dr Khawaja Haris Rashid, Acting Treasurer Rao Sharif, heads of various departments, a large number of students and their parents were present on the occasion.  Addressing the convocation, the VC urged the government to allocate maximum resources to education, especially creation of new knowledge by the means of research and development.
He said the average educational expenditure of other countries is around five percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while Pakistan is spending less than two percent of GDP.  He said the total GDP of the US is 14 trillion dollars and it is spending 980 billion dollars on education.  On the contrary, he said, the GDP of Pakistan stands around 250 billion dollars and it is spending less than five billion dollars on education.
He said, ‘our expenses on research and development are around 0.1 percent of total GDP which is a lesser amount as per required.’  ‘Only the countries, which believe in education as their focal point and make it their priority, are making headway. The Muslim world is facing all the problems on account of our negligence in the field of education and distance from research.
The power is a must for respectable survival in the world and knowledge is the approach to get it’, the VC said.