TAXILA, April 15: Work on the multi-billion projects to establish Guru Nanak University, three hotels one each at Lahore, Hassanabdal and Nankana Sahib would be initiated during this year, said Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairman Lt-Gen (retired) Zulfikar Ali Khan.

Talking to this correspondent at Gurdwara Punjab Sahib Hassanabdal on Saturday, he said the International Guru Nanak University at Nankana Sahib would be a unique institution with best architecture and curricula. It would also have a research centre for Sikh religion and culture besides a comparative study centre for Sikhism and other religions.

For finalising the design of the university, syllabus, faculty, visiting faculty and other issues, ETPB would organise an international conference of Sikh intellectuals in June in which the design of the university would also be proposed. “We will invite people from America, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and India to attend the conference. With the consultation of these scholars, we would finalise the outline of the university.”

He said ETPB had already sent proposals to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for approval and further progress on the project would be made after HEC’s nod.

Answering a question about delay in the construction of three hotels for Sikh yatrees, Gen Zulfikar said sites for the hotels and the university had been identified, adding that we have got possession of 300 acres at Nankana Sahib. He said in Lahore the hotel would be constructed on Ahmed Ali Road near Minar-i-Pakistan. “Each hotel will have 200 rooms,” he added.

The ETPB chairman said the three hotels would cost around Rs1 billion. “We have already invited tenders for the construction of these hotels and leading hotel chains have shown interest,” he said and added that an ETPB subcommittee would approve the bid.

It may be mentioned that while addressing 5,000 Sikh pilgrims on the occasion of the 400th death anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Jee on June 15, 2006, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had announced that the government would construct three hotels, one each in Lahore, Nankana Sahib and Hassan Abdal and Baba Guru Nanak University in Nankana Sahib.