PESHAWAR: Students from North Waziristan Agency on Monday staged a protest demonstration, demanding increase in scholarships and provision of admission quota in universities. They also called for completion of the military operation as early as possible.

The protesters also held banners and placards and demanded that the forthcoming master level examinations should be delayed as they were not prepared to take them due to displacement.

The students said the government had announced Rs5,000 scholarship for each student, which was insufficient and demanded increase in it. “We have lost our sources of income and could not afford expenditures on education in the existing conditions,” they added.

The protesting students said that they were busy preparing for examinations, but the launch of military operation disrupted their studies and rendered them homeless.

They also demanded that IDP students be provided admission on special quota as they couldn’t appear in open merit in the prevailing situation.

The protesters also asked the elected representatives of Fata to raise voice for their rights, otherwise, they would be unable to get education in the uncertain situation when the federal government was also avoiding giving timeframe for ending the military operation.

“We spend most of our time standing in long queues for collection of ration in IDP camps, and demand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed to help solve their problems,” said a protester.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2014