The University is located at a distance of 10 km from the city centre. The University Campus is spread over 960 acres of land. The University has a fleet of buses and coaches which operate regularly in order to provide transport facilities to students and staff. The University started functioning in 1975 in rented buildings with 8 departments. Presently University has 20 departments and 3 constituent colleges namely; University Gilani Law College, University College of Agriculture and University College of Engineering and Technology. The University is providing the maximum possible residential facilities to the students and staff.

The Bahauddin Zakariya University is a general University, providing instruction in both Arts and Science subjects. However, keeping in view the fact that agriculture is the mainstay of this region, (the place and its environs can boast of producing the country’s best silver crop (Cotton) and fruit crops (Mangoes, Citrus, and Dates), it was considered expedient to train manpower in the region for solving  agricultural problems. Accordingly, a College of Agriculture was established in 1989. (The College of Agriculture and its complement, an Engineering College, form an integral part of the University Plan). The College of Engineering & Technology was established in 1994. Department of Commerce was started from November, 1996. BBA classes were started in the Department of Business Administration from October, 1996. Bachelor of Computer Science has also been introduced in the Department of Computer Science from November, 1996. B.Sc. Electrical Engineering class was started in November, 1997. Information Technology Centre was  established  in July 1999.

 Jurisdiction

 The main objective of the University is to provide facilities of higher education and research to the population of the southern region of the Punjab, covering the Civil Administrative Divisions of Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan. The University fulfils the triple function of teaching, affiliation and an examining body, and has 79 affiliated colleges which include such old and prestigious institutions as the Government College, Bosan Road, Multan (formerly known as Emerson College), the Government College, Sahiwal and the Nishtar Medical College, Multan, and NFC college of technology, Multan.

 Administration

 The University Senate is the supreme governing/legislative Body of the University. The Syndicate is the Executive Body of the University and the Academic Council is the main Academic Body of the University. The Governor of the Punjab is the Chancellor of the University. Minister for Education, Government of the Punjab is the Pro-Chancellor of the University. The Principal Executive and Academic Officer of the University is the Vice-Chancellor, who, in order to ensure that the provisions of the University Act, the Statutes and the Regulations are faithfully observed and implemented, is assisted by the Deans of the Faculties, Chairmen of the Departments, Directors of the Institutes/Centres, Principals of the Constituent Colleges and by the four Principal Officers of the University - the Registrar, the Treasurer, the Controller of Examinations and the Project Director.