TIMERGARA: The students of the University of Malakand’s software engineering department on Monday staged a rally against the non-registration of their department with the Pakistan Engineering Council.

Students totaling around 150 boycotted classes before coming onto the road carrying banners and placards and shouting slogans against the university’s administration.

The student leaders, including Sadiqullah, Akmal Hameed, Zakirullah and Fazal Maula, spoke on the occasion.

They complained that students of the university’s software engineering department had been enrolled in the University of Malakand for three years but the administration had yet to register the department with the PEC.

They said they demonstrated for the department’s registration last year and the administration gave them an assurance, which later turned out to be false.

The students said without the department’s registration with the PEC, their degrees would be nothing but pieces of paper.

They threatened agitation for their demand.

Meanwhile, students of the law department also made a similar complaint and criticised the failure of the university’s administration to register their department with the relevant authorities.

Talking to local journalists, they warned they would join hands with students of software engineering department in their protest if their department was not registered.

PTI STAND: Special adviser to the chief minister and MPA Shakil Khan on Monday said according to the party’s policy, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers would support the Jamaat-i-Islami candidate in PK-95 constituency during the upcoming by-elections.

The seat fell vacant after JI chief Sirajul Haq was elected a senator.

Shakil Khan told reporters in Khadagzai area that his party would actively participate in the next local government polls in all areas of Malakand division.

He said the leadership had sought lists of party candidates for the local body elections.

“We’ve planned to contest the local government polls along with coalition partners. However, from union councils to the districts, our leadership has been given a freehand for the elections,” he said.

The adviser to the chief minister said the PTI would make the best possible electoral arrangements considering ground realities.

He said the local body elections would be held between May 30 and June 10 this year.

“We, the PTI, will sweep (local government) polls like the May 2013 general elections,” he said.

Shakil Khan said members of provincial and national assemblies had nothing to do with development projects and instead, their job was to legislate only.

He said the elected representatives of local government would have powers for the posting and transfer of government employees as well as for the finalisation and execution of development projects in their respective areas.

The adviser said Rs40 billion would be spent on development projects through the local government representatives in the province.

He said the PTI government had checked corruption in the province by 80 per cent.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2015

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