CM Announces Gift of Rs 75 million to FC College

By
FCC Webmaster
Published: February 13, 2010Posted in: NewsTags:


Mr Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, inaugurated the new Peter H. Armacost Science Building at Forman Christian College today. Mr Robert Wilson, USAID Mission Director and Ms Carmela Conroy, US Consul General in Lahore were among the guests. The building and equipment costs of over Rs. 800 million were funded by the Government of the Punjab, the Government of Pakistan and USAID.


In his address the Chief Minister said that the Government of the Punjab would contribute Rs 50 million as grant in aid to FCC’s endowment fund and promised a further Rs 25 million for the next financial year. He said, “FC College has been one of the pioneering educational institutions of Pakistan and the competence, sagacity and dedication of its faculty has prepared leaders for Pakistan. Never has there been a greater need for imparting quality education to the people of the country.” The CM expressed the belief that education could instill co-existence and brotherhood among different people and lead to mutual understanding.


Welcoming the guests Mr Jamshed Rehmatullah, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FC College, said the decision to name the building after Dr Armacost, the Rector, had been unanimous. Dr Armacost has been instrumental in the revival and growth of the college since it was denationalized in 2003. Mr Rehmatullah said the building would be a centre for teaching, research, advising and learning.

Chaudhry Ahmad Saeed, President of the Formanites Alumni Association, remarked that the decision to name the building after the Rector was richly deserved, since he was “revered in the hearts and minds of the many students and faculty he has inspired.”


Mr Robert Wilson predicted that the building would be an important resource to strengthen science and technology education in Pakistan. He thanked FC College for hosting the event which celebrated its partnership with USAID since 2004, when USAID provided a US$5 million grant to support faculty development, student scholarships, construction of the science building and establishing a new library.

In conclusion, the Rector Dr Peter H. Armacost expressed his gratitude to the governments of Punjab and Pakistan and to the US government for their financial support which has done so much to accomplish the potential of the university. He said the new science building was an important symbol of partnership between the two countries.


The Armacost Building has a total built area of approximately 170,000 sq feet and houses the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science and Physics. It comprises two blocks, and includes 32 state-of-the-art general and research labs, four computer labs, a dark room, two climatic rooms, a herbarium, a science library and the zoology museum.