ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: The government has announced a Rs2 billion grant for reconstruction of the earthquake-devastated AJK university, a spokesman for the university told Dawn on Tuesday.

The university has already set up a camp office in Islamabad and its administration has been in continues contact with the Higher Education Commission and the AJK government’s officials concerned to expedite the reconstruction of the university, the spokesman, Zafar Iqbal, said.

In total, 1938 students were affected due to the damages to the university’s Rawlakot and Muzaffarabad campuses.

Besides the destruction to the academic infrastructure, hostels for boys and girls and the university labs suffered serious damages.

Moreover, more than 150 houses of the faculty had collapsed, displacing teachers and their families, he said.

At present, it is unthinkable to hold classes on these campuses. The university in consultation with the HEC Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman has shifted its students to various public sector universities in the twin cities, he said.

According to the initial estimates by the university administration, it requires $150 to 200 million to bring the institution to work.

In response to a question, the spokesman said the university might be relocated within the Muzaffarabad city, but it was not being shifted to some other city.

In response to another question, he said more than one organizations were busy surveying the present location of the university.

“Yes, the main concern of the university administration is to reconstruct it with latest technologies so that in future if this type of calamity hit the region, the loss could be prevented.”

More than 200 students, four faculty members and four non-academic staff, were killed in the earthquake.