QUETTA, April 7: The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has opposed the appointment of retired army officers as vice-chancellor and director-general of the Balochistan University and said it would turn the academic institution into a cantonment.

The PMAP in a statement pointed out that the university was an educational and research institution and the appointment of army officers at the cost of qualified academicians was meant to deprive Baloch and Pakhtun students of educational facility.

The statement said the main objective of the establishment of the university was to facilitate the Pakhtun and Baloch students with the provision of education and knowledge purely in academic and democratic environment.

"Reduction in seats by 50 per cent, increase in admission fee by Rs2,000, change in admission procedure, favouritism in recruitment of employees and setting up of checkposts at the university are tantamount to creating harassment,” it added.