PESHAWAR: Chitral Action Council, a group of the workers of opposition parties, has expressed concerns over delay in construction of Chitral University and demanded of the government to ensure its early establishment.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday, MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali said that the previous provincial government had announced to set up Chitral University.

He said that a 166-kanal piece of land was already purchased on Drush Road in Syedabad for the university but work was not initiated on the project even after lapse of five years.

Flanked by other office-bearers of the council including its chief organiser Inayatullah Aseer, the Jamaat-i-Islami lawmaker said that some influential people wanted to shift the university to Seen Lasht village on Gram Chashma Road for their political motives that caused delay in execution of the project.

He said that sufficient land was not available in Seen Lasht village. Many of the local people would have to face dislocation if the university was shifted there, he said. He feared that the villagers would start protest demonstrations if they were dislocated.

The MNA said that federal government had allocated a huge fund of Rs1.5 billion for the university. He said that the funds would lapse in the project was further delayed.

He demanded of the provincial government to fulfil its commitment and initiate construction work on the university building as early as possible to facilitate the students of the district.

The lawmaker said that the people of Chitral, particularly students, were facing many issues as the district was located at a long distance from other parts of the country.

He added that successive governments never paid proper heed to the solution of their problems.

The MNA said that despite multiple problems, the students of Chitral proved their ability in different competitive examinations.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had announced various developmental schemes during their visits to the district and the local people expected them to fulfil their commitments without any further delay.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2021