LAHORE: Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali on Tuesday inaugurated Pakistan’s first-ever exhibition on artistic book-binding of rare manuscripts.

The exhibition titled ‘Tajdeed-e-Naqoosh’ is a revival of artistic bookbinding and illumination.

In a pioneering effort, PU has hosted Pakistan’s first exhibition of its kind, where an academic institution and its institutional library have showcased artistic bookbinding from its extensive manuscript collection.

The event was jointly organized by Punjab University Department of Fine Arts and Main Library here on Tuesday. On this occasion, Department of Fine Arts Chairperson and curator Prof Dr Sumera Jawad, Chief Librarian Dr Muhammad Haroon Usmani, curator Amina Cheema, faculty members, artists and students were present.

In his address, PU VC Dr Muhammad Ali commended the efforts of curators Amina Cheema, Dr Sumera and Dr Haroon for their dedication to this significant endeavor.

He said that our students should know how books were preserved in the past.

Ms Cheema said that the exhibition not only addresses the historical invisibility of artistic bookbinding and illumination but also raises critical questions regarding typology, contextualization, display methodologies, and the complexities of metadata associated with each artifact.

She said that it marks a crucial step in advancing scholarly engagement with these overlooked domains, fostering further research and appreciation of Islamic and regional book arts.

Bookbinding and illumination, integral to the Islamic arts of the book, have historically remained underrepresented in local scholarship and the broader art scene.

workshop: The Faculty Development Programme (FDP) and the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) on Tuesday conducted workshop on ‘Building the Future: Architecture under STEM – Nanotechnology’s Impact on Sustainable Architecture’.

UET teachers from departments of architecture and chemistry participated in the one-day workshop to explore the ground breaking role of nanotechnology in sustainable architecture.

The workshop featured hands-on training in the advanced nanotechnology research lab (chemistry department) and DoT research lab (architecture department) — a true testament to the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in STEM.

The FDP, initiated in 2016-17 by the HEC, supports non-PhD faculty members. The programme offers split PhD scholarships, allowing scholars to begin their research in Pakistan and continue their studies abroad for up to 12 months in top-ranked international universities.

The session concluded with the distribution of certificates.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2025