MANSEHRA: The residents have complained about an acute shortage of teachers at the two government colleges in Oghi and Darband tehsils here and said the colleges didn’t hold science classes for intermediate and BSc courses as most posts of lecturers and professors lied vacant.

“Science classes were approved for the Oghi degree college four years ago but the acute shortage of teachers has forced students to go to other cities for science learning,” resident Mohammad Javed told reporters.

Accompanied by many residents, Mr Javed said many residents didn’t get admission to the only degree college in Oghi due to the shortage of teachers.

He said the higher education department should launch the four-year degree classes in chemistry, physics, zoology and other science subjects.

Local body chief says he has written to CM for filling of vacancies

The resident demanded the intervention of local lawmakers for the early resolution of the issue and warned if that didn’t happen, then people would stage street protests.

Chairman of the Darband neighbourhood council Habib Sakhi also complained about the vacancies of professor and lecturer posts at the local degree college.

He said 23 posts were sanctioned for the college but 15 of them had long been lying vacant to the misery of students.

Mr Sakhi said he had written a letter to the chief minister to order the immediate filling of vacancies.

POWER RESTORATION: Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Authority chief executive Naeem Khan on Friday promised the early resumption of electric supply to the national grid from the flood-hit Ranolia hydropower project in Lower Kohistan district.

“We’re working on a war footing to resume uninterrupted power supply to the national grid and will complete the work soon,” Mr Naeem told reporters after a visit to the affected project’s site.

Meanwhile, Lower Kohistan deputy commissioner Shakeel Ahmad said the district administration would soon release details of the houses destroyed or damaged by the recent flooding.

“We have surveyed almost 90 per cent of the houses and other damage to property in our district and will make its details public soon before starting compensation payment,” Mr Ahmad told reporters.

INAUGURATED: Torghar deputy commissioner Anwar Zeb Khan on Friday inaugurated the first driving licence branch in the district.

He told the inaugural ceremony in district headquarters Judbah that the residents would no longer be required to the neighbouring Mansehra district to get driving licences.

Meanwhile, Tehreek-i-Sobah Hazara-Haqiqi convener Mushtaq Khan has called for the creation of new provinces in the province, including Hazara. He told reporters that new federating units should be created for good governance and not along ethnic and sectarian lines.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2022