PESHAWAR, June 28: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah on Friday praised public sector universities for successfully handling financial constraints and said he would speak to the prime minister for early release of sufficient funds to them.

He was speaking during the Eighth Vice-Chancellors Conference at the Governor’s House here.

Provincial higher education secretary Farah Hameed Khan, special secretaries of the provincial finance and establishment departments, Professor Mukhtar Ahmad of Higher Education Commission and vice-chancellors of all public sector universities of the province attended the conference.

The participants discussed issues related to the public sector universities’ administrative and financial affairs and ways and means to address them.

The governor, who is also the chancellor of public sector universities of the province, said he would try his best to create a favourable environment for the smooth functioning of public sector universities.

He said the nation faced highly critical economic conditions but the requirements of the universities couldn’t be ignored.

Mr Shaukatullah said the institutions offering education to youths of the province and Fata were subjected to religious extremism and terrorism.

He said he would make every effort to advocate the justified demand of the higher educational institutions for preferential treatment at every level.

The provincial secretary for higher education and the HEC representative informed the governor that they were expecting comparatively better situation both in respect of volume of resources and ensuring their timely releases to the respective institutions from the next year.

The conference was attended by vice-chancellors, including Professor Rasool Jan of University of Peshawar, Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani of UET, Peshawar, Professor Khan Bahadur of University of Agriculture, Professor Mansoor Akbar Kundi of Gomal University, Professor Syed Sakhawat Shah of Hazara University, Mansehra, Professor Syeda Farhana Jehangir of Women University, Peshawar, Professor Hafeezullah of Khyber Medical University, Professor Enshan Ali of Islamia College University, Professor Jehanzeb of Swat University in Saidu Sharif, Professor Naser Jamal Khattak of Kohat University of Science and Technology, and Dr Naser Ali Khan of Haripur University, Haripur.

Among other participants were vice chancellors of University of Science and Technology, Bannu, Malakand University, Chakdara, and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal.