COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Abbottabad campus, currently operates from a leased facility at Tobe Camp, owned by the Pakistan Army. The lease, extended in 2001 for 30 years after the original expired in 2003, houses around 6,000 students. However, the permanent campus under development faces shutdown due to insufficient government funding.
Project Approval and Funding Hurdles
In May 2020, CUI submitted a PC-I titled "Infrastructure Development of COMSATS University Islamabad Permanent Campus, Abbottabad." The project proposed a modern academic facility spanning 324,540 square feet for the 6,000 students. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved the PC-I on May 24, 2021, at a cost of Rs3,485.795 million. Yet, the project has not been included in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) share of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST).
Impact on Students and Infrastructure
Due to the funding shortfall, most infrastructure work on the new campus remains pending. The delay threatens the planned transfer of students to the permanent campus, leaving the academic future of thousands uncertain. The CUI administration has urged the government to release funds to prevent a complete shutdown of the Abbottabad campus operations.
