PESHAWAR, Jan 29: The government has decided to establish a medical college in Jamrud tehsil’s Shah Kas area, Khyber Agency, instead of Parachinar, said sources in Fata’s directorate of health.

The sources said establishment of the college in some other Fata area was not feasible because of non-availability of a teaching hospital.

The move may cause furore in Fata students who have been demanding establishment of the medical college in Parachinar, the headquarters of the Kurram Agency.

Students from Fata have often been holding protest demonstrations against the delay in establishment of the medical college in their region.

Once established, 80 per cent of seats in the college will be reserved for Fata, five per cent for Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir and the remaining seats will be filled up through open merit.

A senior teacher of the Khyber Medical College, who is associated with the project, said medical experts were also opposed to building the college in Shah Kas near Peshawar.

“Peshawar has already got a medical college. The Fata medical college should be built in a place which is easily accessible for tribal students,” he said. “There is no point to establish it near Peshawar, because it won’t benefit Fata students.”

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