KOHAT, June 18: The University of Science and Technology, Kohat, has increased the semester fee by Rs4,000, prompting the students to announce a protest sit-in outside the governor house on Thursday.

Moreover, the university administration asked the students, who had boycotted papers of the last semester to deposit Rs10,000 for each subject.

However, the students have strongly opposed the increase in fee, saying most of them belong to poor families and therefore, cannot afford to pay high fee.

Recently, the university introduced a fifth semester for the students who got lower grades in the regular four semesters. It fixed Rs7,000 for each paper in the new semester, provoking the students to boycott examinations.

BASIC FACILITIES: The Kohat division commissioner has asked the Oil and Gas Development Company to provide basic amenities of life to the people of Shakardarra area under an agreement.

Speaking at a meeting by OGDC officials on Tuesday, Jalal ud Din said Shakardarra needed attention in welfare projects as the company had been pumping huge quantity of oil and gas from the area for years. He asked the officials to solve the longstanding problem of water shortage, construct roads and compensate farmers for damages.

He said the people of Shakardarra had been demanding end to the ‘exploitation’ by the OGDCL and provision of basic facilities under the ‘water for oil’ agreement. “They have also been demanding jobs for their unemployed youth, health facilities and schools,” said the commissioner.

He said the local people had been fetching water from the Indus River which is miles away from Shakardarra. He said water supply schemes were lying dysfunctional due to low electricity voltage.

LAID TO REST: Two FC personnel who were killed in Quetta attacks were laid to rest with full military honour in Gumbat area on Tuesday. A large number of people attended their funeral prayers. —Correspondent