'Verification still a novel concept': Imperial College London puts Pakistan’s imaginary Lahore campus dream to rest

In yet another embarrassment for the Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government, the much-celebrated announcement that Imperial College London would open a campus at Lahore’s Nawaz Sharif IT City has turned out to be entirely fictional. Days after the provincial government claimed that one of the world’s top universities was heading to Pakistan, Imperial College politely but firmly denied ever making such plans.

The Punjab government had proudly declared on October 18 that the UK-based institution would open its first overseas campus in Lahore, complete with a 300-bed hospital. “Foundation stone to be laid in November,” the government announced on X, followed by an enthusiastic repost from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz herself. Senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also chimed in with a similar post.

But the fairy tale did not last long. Imperial College London swiftly issued an official statement setting the record straight: “Reports that Imperial College London plans to open a campus overseas are incorrect.” The university clarified that “there have been erroneous reports in the media and online that Imperial is opening a campus at Nawaz Sharif IT City in Lahore, Pakistan.”

In case that was not clear enough, the statement reaffirmed that “Imperial has no such plans, with all the university's campuses based in the UK.” The institution even reminded students and media outlets to rely only on official statements for accurate information — a gentle but pointed nudge at Pakistan’s overenthusiastic officials.

The false claim also drew criticism from Javed Hassan, a former chairman of Pakistan’s National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and an Imperial College alumnus. “As an Imperial alumnus, I was briefly bemused by the bold claim of a campus in Nawaz Sharif IT City. Turns out Imperial College is less adventurous; its campus plans remain firmly UK-bound. Verification, it seems, is still a novel concept,” Hassan posted on X.

The Nawaz Sharif IT City, spanning 853 acres and declared tax-free for ten years, was touted as a hub for global technology firms. But if this episode is any indication, the Punjab government might want to start with attracting actual partners before announcing imaginary ones.