LAKKI MARWAT: Deputy commissioner Mohammad Bakhtiar has issued a notification under relevant section of the Land Acquisition Act for acquiring land for establishment of university in the district.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had announced setting up of a varsity in Lakki Marwat during his visit to Bannu last year. He had visited Bannu on the invitation of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The PTI activists here believe that National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training MNA Amirullah Khan’s efforts are behind the approval of the university’s project. They said that the lawmaker had raised the issue on different forums.

Ex-PM Nawaz had announced the project

The JUI-F activists say that it was the election promise of their party during 2013 polls and now it had been fulfilled. A source in the JUI-F said that the federal government had sent a summary to the provincial government for appointment of project director and identification of land for the university, but the PTI-led government delayed the same.

However, the government has now appointed Prof Jamil Khan as project director and tasked him to identify a feasible site and fulfil other formalities for execution of the project.

According to a notification issued by the deputy commissioner, a land measuring 1,602 kanals in Mauza Dallokhel is likely to be acquired by the government for the university. It said that the DC had also authorised the officers to survey any land in the locality for the project.

WATER SHORTAGE: Local councillors of the militancy-hit Shah Hasankhel village have expressed concern over delay in execution of work on repair of dysfunctional water supply schemes.

Talking to mediapersons on Sunday, village council nazim Abdul Malik and others said that the drinking water tubewells were out of order since last several years causing severe shortage of water in the rural locality. They said that one tubewell was completely damaged while the other one needed immediate repair to ensure water supply to villagers.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2018