Peshawar: The Vice Chancellor University of Peshawar Prof. Dr. Muhamamd Asif Khan has said that major demands of the sit-in students have been addressed and an official notification has been issued in this regard to reassure students that their demands are on high priority list of University.

The Vice Chancellor shared that the University Administration through Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Deans and other faculty members has been in negotiation with students on daily basis since the start of their protest.

The breakthrough was made yesterday when the advisor to Chief Minister on Higher education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani specially came to redress the grievances of sit-in participants and chaired the meeting along Vice chancellor, University of Peshawar with representatives of ‘Muthida Talba Mahaz’ .

The Advisor Higher Education assured the students that both the University Administration and himself are serious about their commitment to resolve the issues faced by students. In order to monitor progress on resolving the demands, the Advisor fixed one-month deadline for a similar meeting at the University Committee Room whereby he will personally sit with the students and the University Administration to review the outcome of all the issues highlighted above. The Vice Chancellor assured the Advisor and the students that the Deans Committee which has already held meetings with them will hold at least one weekly meeting with the students to discuss and monitor the progress.

The advisor to Chief Minister on Higher education assured sit-in participants that matters concerned with the Federal Government such as inclusion of BS Programs in the PM Fee Re-imbursement scheme, special scholarships for tribal-area students especially those displaced from homes, accreditation of the electronics program by Pakistan Engineering Council will be taken up with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and other federal government authorities. The Advisor pledged that he will personally participate in such meetings to resolve these issues on priority basis. However, the Advisor did not agree with the demand of withdrawal of the decision regarding phasing out of the BA/BSc/MA/MSc programs. He informed the students that such programs have been abolished at over a 100 government degree colleges, so there is no justification for continuing such programs at the university level.

The Vice chancellor has categorically said that decision of reverting back the increase of tuition fee by 10% has been tabled in the syndicate meeting to be held on 12th of December. The Vice chancellor said that University is all set to focus on students career uplift through generating resources to ease students stay at the university. The vice chancellor said that a major exercise at the planning stage is being carried out to use properties and estate of university for the generation of Scholarships and other funding for academic activities.

The advisor to Chief Minister on Higher education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani informed the student representative and the University administration that he has arranged a meeting of the Vice Chancellor and the University Administration with the Chief Minister next week. The financial issues faced by the University especially the 700 million rupees deficits due to pensions will be taken up in the said meeting. He also advised the University administration that all other issues related with the Provincial Government should be brought up in the said meeting including Compensation for Road One, Accreditation of the IER programs, and endowment fund for scholarships /financial aid to students.

Ali Imran
Media Officer,
University of Peshawar