University of Engineering and Technology (UET) - Taxila

The City of Taxila

The ancient name ‘Takshasila’ translates to the “city of cut stones.” Taxila is renowned globally for its archaeological sites. Once part of the mighty Achaemenian Empire, Taxila was conquered by Alexander in 327 BC. It later became part of the Mauryan dynasty, reaching a high level of development under the great Ashoka. Following this, the Indo-Greek successors of Alexander’s warriors took control, leading to the most flourishing period of Gandhara. The Kushan dynasty emerged around 50 AD, and over the next two centuries, Taxila became a prominent center of learning, philosophy, art, and religion, with Jaulian serving as a leading academic hub or university of its time. Pilgrims and travelers came from as far as China and Greece to visit.

History took a significant turn around 1950 when Ordnance Factories were established in Wah, near Taxila. In the mid-1960s, the country’s largest Mechanical Complex and Foundry were set up in Taxila. In the early 1970s, industrial development reached a new level when Taxila was selected as the site for Heavy Industries Taxila, located near its renowned museum. At the same time, Pakistan’s largest Aeronautical Complex was built in Kamra, approximately 45 km from Taxila. In the mid-1970s, the Punjab government recognized Taxila as an ideal location for the establishment of a constituent college of the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore.

Industrial growth in and around Taxila is accelerating, with neighboring industrial organizations undergoing rapid expansion. A new industrial zone has developed in the Hattar area, located about 20 km from Taxila. As a result, Taxila is becoming a prominent industrial hub at the national level. Its strategic location is positioning the city as a gateway to the historic “Silk Route”.

The University

In response to the significant increase in student enrollment during the 1970s, a plan was developed to establish additional campuses of the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore. As part of this initiative, the University College of Engineering Taxila was founded in 1975. Initially, it operated in Sahiwal for three years before moving to its permanent location in Taxila in 1978. The college remained under the administrative control of the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore until October 1993, when it was granted its charter as an independent university through the University of Engineering and Technology Taxila Ordinance of 1993. Currently, the university has an enrollment of over 2,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Location

The university campus is located on the outskirts of Taxila, approximately 5 km from the city center. It is situated near the Mohra Shah Wali Shah railway station on the Taxila-Havelian branch line. Taxila itself lies 35 km from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, along the main Rawalpindi-Peshawar highway. University buses operate daily routes between the campus and the cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Wah Cantt. The campus spans 163 acres and includes all the teaching departments, a residential colony for faculty and staff, student hostels, a guesthouse, a post office, and a bank.