Imperial College London has denied reports that it is opening a campus in Pakistan, specifically in Lahore’s Nawaz Sharif IT City. The institution clarified that it has no overseas campuses and no plans to establish one in Pakistan.
In an official statement, the university said, “Reports that Imperial College London plans to open a campus overseas are incorrect. Imperial has no such plans, with all the university’s campuses based in the UK.”
The clarification came after multiple social media posts from the Punjab government and senior officials claimed that Imperial College was set to open a branch in Lahore.
Punjab govt announcement sparks confusion
On October 18, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Punjab government announced that a new campus of Imperial College London would be opened in Nawaz Sharif IT City, Lahore.
According to the post, the decision was made during a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. It stated that the foundation stone of the campus would be laid in November and that a modern 300-bed hospital would also be built within the college complex.
Senior Minister’s Deleted Post After Clarification
Punjab’s Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also echoed the same announcement on her X account, stating, “A campus of Imperial College London will be established in the Nawaz Sharif IT City which will also include a state-of-the-art 300-bed hospital and its foundation stone will be laid in November.”
However, Marriyum Aurangzeb deleted her post later.
Imperial College’s official clarification
In its statement posted on the university’s official website, Imperial College termed the reports “erroneous".
“There have been erroneous reports in the media and online that Imperial is opening a campus at Nawaz Sharif IT City in Lahore, Pakistan. Imperial has no such plans,” the statement read.
The university also directed interested individuals to visit its International Relations Office webpage for verified information about its global collaborations and activities.
Background and reaction
The news of Imperial College’s alleged campus had initially generated excitement among Pakistan’s academic and political circles, as it was perceived as a major international investment in higher education and technology.
However, the subsequent denial from Imperial College has raised questions about the verification process behind government announcements and the accuracy of official communications regarding foreign partnerships.
