TIMERGARA: The students of boys degree colleges in Samar Bagh and Gulabad on Tuesday boycotted classes and took to the streets against absence of transport and other facilities in the colleges.

The Mutahida Talba Mahaz organised the protest. The protesting students of Samar Bagh college gathered on a road at Sadbar Kaly, blocking it for vehicular traffic.

Speaking on the occasion, the students’ leaders said that though the college had been functioning for last 12 years the students had not been provided with any transport facility. They said students travelled miles daily to and from the college at the cost of their precious time. They said the college had been named as Government Ghazi Imran Khan College, but relevant documents were yet not inscribed with the nomenclature.

They complained that several posts of lecturers had been lying vacant, but the government had failed to fill the vacancies. They demanded of the provincial Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani to take notice.  

Also in the day, hundreds of students of government degree college, Gulabad, staged a protest demonstration in front of the Chakdara Press Club against shortage of staff and absence of hostel facility.

They complained that the college building was damaged by the recent earthquake, but its reconstruction was nowhere in sight. Later, the students dispersed peacefully after assistant commissioner, Adenzai, Zahid Pervez Warriach assured them of conveying their demand to the quarters concerned.

SCHOOL OPENED: A government primary school built by Pak Army at Azizabad Tormand Darra opened on Tuesday. Speaking at a function on the occasion, Commandant of Army’s Chakdara Battalion Let-Col Shahid Iqbal highlighted the importance of education and asked the community to educate their children for prosperity and development of the nation.

ANTI-CORRUPTION WEEK: Different functions were held at colleges and schools to mark the start of an anti-corruption week in the district. Speakers at these functions called for waging a crusade against corruption.

POLICE ARREST ROBBERS: The Munda police on Monday claimed to have arrested a group of robbers involved in looting over 100 shops in different areas of Jandol. Briefing journalists, SDPO Jandol Amjad Khan and SHO Munda Bakht Jamal said a joint investigation team of police from three police stations succeeded to trace out the group and arrested its seven members.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2015