SWABI: Students of the University of Swabi here on Wednesday staged a demonstration against the dismissal of 34 PhD scholars, saying the lay-offs would badly affect their studies, and that the varsity management should reinstate them.

The students also rejected the increase in the transport fare by the university and demanded its immediate withdrawal.

The students belonging to various departments, particularly the departments from which the teachers were expelled, participated in the protest. They said they would continue to push for reinstatement of the fired teachers.

The students insisted that by sacking the teachers the varsity wanted to save money at the cost of their future.

They appealed to the vice-chancellor to reconsider his decision.

The protesting student said if the university wanted to impart quality education to students that why it expelled a large number of PhD scholars in one go. They said the laid-off teachers had worked for about eight to nine years.

The students warned that if the management of the university failed to reinstate the teachers, they would stage more protest demonstrations.

TRANSPORT FARES: The overcharging of commuters by public transporters continues unabated in Swabi with the district administration being a silent spectator as it has failed to fix the fare on different routes, especially after the closure of CNG stations.

Talking to Dawn on Wednesday, the commuters said the transporters were at their own free will to fleece the passengers.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2023