SWABI: Classes at the newly-opened Gajju Khan Medical College (GKMC), Swabi, would commence on Monday (today).

Giving details, admission officer Bilal Khan and other officials said on Sunday that the faculty and staff had finalised all the arrangements to start classes in the college. The induction of the first batch of students in GKMC would mark a new era as the college was opened with the efforts of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led government.

The college is named after a renowned Pakhtun leader, Gajju Khan Baba, who ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 35 years after passing away of Malik Ahmad Khan in 1513 AD. Baba’s mausoleum, which is situated near the college, was built by the previous ANP government.

Sources said that construction of the college was initiated by the previous ANP government. They said that Rs4.3 billion had been spent on the construction of the college and over Rs4 billion on the upgradation of Bacha Khan Hospital Complex, Shahmansoor. They said that modern equipment had been installed in BKHC, and it was turned into a teaching hospital.

The medical college was actually built on the hospital’s land. It shares a boundary with the hospital where the students would utilise the facilities for learning.

The sources said that KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had made efforts for start of the classes last year, but officials of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council told the provincial government that requirements of the medical college should be fulfilled first and only then induction of the first batch would be allowed. They said that now PMDC had given a green signal for starting the classes.

The sources said that the students had appeared in the Khyber Medical University entry test and they were recommended by the admission committee. They said that 86 students, including girls, would be inducted in the first batch.

They said that on demand of the academic staff, the district health officer had vacated the health department’s building at Bacha Khan Hospital Complex, which would be utilised as a girls’ hostel.

Dr Zubair has already assumed charge as the first principle of the college.

Published in Dawn February 13th, 2017