SWABI: Speakers at a function paid tribute to late Dr Abdul Mateen for making meaningful contribution to higher education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The programme was titled ‘Dr Abdul Mateen and his contribution to higher education’ held here the other day.

Dr Mateen died on Dec 30 and was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Asota village here. He remained vice-chancellor of the University of Peshawar and Principal of Islamia College, Peshawar.

The speakers said Dr Mateen was a ‘tower of strength’ and was among the three eminent personalities from KP who were instrumental in promotion higher education in the province. They maintained that Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Khan, founder of Islamia College, Peshawar, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, former president of Pakistan and founder of GIK Institute, and Dr Mateen had rendered matchless services in the education sector.

The speakers said Dr Mateen was the man who fought against all the odds and achieved his cherished objective: boosting education standard and urging the knowledge seekers to shun illegal means.

Dr AZ Hilali, chairman of political science department, UoP, said Dr Mateen’s contributions were quite visible in the varsity. Masood Jabar, a popular geologist, said the deceased was also a noted economist and one of the best administrators.

Mohammad Uzair Ali, district education officer Malakand, said the personality of Dr Mateen could not be described in words. He was an institution, an academia and a professional complete in all respects, he added. It was my sheer good luck to remain under his influence during my studies both in the Islamic Collage and the UoP in the 1980s. He was a remarkable educationist, straight forward and uncompromising on principles, honest and outstanding administrator, a great orator and always positive in approach, said Uzair Ali.

FIVE ARRESTED: Police arrested five people on charges of lending money to people on interest.

It is learnt that so far police have arrested 70 people involved in interest-based lending, and vowed to continue the drive to root out the menace from the district.

A police official said the accused had given a loan of Rs140,000 to a resident of Managai village, who had already returned Rs600,000 interest to them, but they wanted another Rs200,000 from him.

After he failed to arrange the money, the lenders were forcing him to vacate his house.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2017