PESHAWAR, Oct 21: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has directed officials to complete all prerequisites for the smooth launching of the Khyber Medical University, a project for which the provincial government has already allocated resources and land.

The chief minister was presiding over a meeting to finalize requirements for the launch of the university at the Frontier House here on Thursday.

The meeting, attended by ministers of education and health and secretaries, was briefed about the administrative control of the teaching colleges and that the provincial government would retain its administrative control.

The charter of the Khyber Medical University was ready and after the passage of university act from the provincial assembly then the government can move forward.

The chief minister said that the government was committed to provide efficient and improved services in the social sector, adding that the government had already launched a women's university.

The chief minister urged officials to avoid unnecessary delays and said that any delay in this context would create doubts.

The chief minister said that the health and education departments should jointly finalize preparations so that a bill could be moved in the provincial assembly for the establishment of the university.

The chief minister said that the government would be required to generate initial allocation to make the university functional, adding that afterwards, there would be no problem in running, managing and controlling the affairs of the university.

He said education and healthcare were top priorities of the government, adding that in the education sector, the government was focusing on female literacy. He said that budget for the purpose had been doubled.

JICA: The NWFP chief minister said that Peshawar would soon have a major hospital for women and children.

He said this in a meeting on Thursday.

He directed officials to correspond with the Japan International Cooperation Agency.