KOHAT: The students of Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) have resumed their strike on the first day of classes after summer vacations, vowing that they would not back out of their demands.

The students had started the protest on May 4, 2015, demanding appointment of a permanent vice-chancellor and start of summer semester in the university.

A student of the university said on condition of anonymity that KUST was without a regular vice-chancellor for the last one year. He said that the acting VC had sent the students a message that he would not accept their demand even if the government asked him to start the summer semester.

Before the summer vacations, Amjid Afridi, advisor to the chief minister, had visited the acting vice-chancellor to break the deadlock between the students and administration.

The acting VC had reportedly told him that he would order start of the summer semester after mid-term if the students attended their exams.

In response, the students had demanded written orders by the acting VC about his decision, but he was yet to give a positive response.

MARTYRS WEEK: The Awami National Party observed ‘martyrs week’ by holding a function to pay respect to the late policemen and express solidarity with the force at the Company Park here on Thursday.

ANP district president Javed Khattak said on the occasion that both the police and their party activists had rendered sacrifices in the line of duty and became victims of targeted killing and suicide blasts.

The ANP activists also lit candles and visited the camp to witness portraits of the policemen who had laid down their lives in the line of duty.

Activists of different political parties and members of the bar association, social organisations and bazaar unions also visited the camp. They viewed documentaries made on the performance of police to combat terrorism.

In a message issued on the occasion, KOhat DPO Mohammad Sohaib Ashraf termed sacrifices of the police a shining part of the national history. He stated that the brave policemen shed their blood for protection of the motherland while fighting the miscreants.

Mr Sohaib announced that a blood donation camp of policemen would soon be held, which would be donated to the Frontier Foundation for cancer patients.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play