ABBOTTABAD, July 12: The Hazara University will open the mass communication department from next academic session and launch an on-campus radio station, says Vice-Chancellor Dr Ehsan Ali Khan.

He was addressing the concluding session of a three-day training workshop on ‘disaster reporting’ organised by the Pakistan Press Foundation.

The vice-chancellor called for optimal use of resources to improve journalists’ capabilities and said that journalists could play a vital role by conducting impartial accountability of people in power.

Dr Ehsan said that the Hazara University had been badly damaged during last year’s earthquake and needed funds to rebuild its infrastructure, adding that funding proposals were still under consideration.

The vice-chancellor said that it would be unwise to wait any further as it would waste the academic session of students, adding that classes would start as soon as recruitment of at least 152 faculty members was complete. It would be approved by the university’s syndicate on July 27.

Dr Ehsan said that a college would be built in Kohsitan. He offered private sector to make joint efforts with the university management and said it would do whatever was needed for promotion of education in the area.

He announced holding of refresher courses for journalists and asked various professional organisations to hold seminars and workshops in the campus.

Earlier, PPF chairman Awais Asalm Ali and General-Secretary Fazal Qureshi briefed participants about the workshop.