GILGIT, Sept 29: Karakoram International University Vice- Chancellor Dr Mohammad Azam Khan has said that the staff will have to meet the criteria of selection board and only then their appointments will be approved by the KIU syndicate.

The vice-chancellor, while speaking at a press briefing held at the university campus, said construction work would begin soon as the tenders had been finalized.

He said that Rs8 billion had been released to the KIU by the federal education ministry and the allocation was being made on quarterly basis to minimise the chances of misappropriation.

The VC said that during a recent meeting of the selection board at Islamabad, 25 people had been recommended for induction to the university out of which 10 were PhDs and local people were given preference.

Regarding the strike of the college academic staff, he said arrangements had been made to keep the classes intact and students would not be affected by it.

About the status of the Postgraduate College Gilgit, he said the KIU was an independent institution and such decisions could not be imposed.