NWFP Agriculture University: Aurakzai lays foundation of Rs five billion sub-campus project

The NWFP Governor, Lieutenant General Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai (Retd) on Monday laid the foundation stone of Rs 5 billion project of the establishment of sub-campus of NWFP Agricultural University at Hangu. The governor also laid the foundation of OPF Public School and College.
Under a phase of the programme an amount of Rs 800 million had already been earmarked for the First phase of which Rs 300 million have been provided by the provincial government. In the beginning, 1500 students would be admitted in various departments of the campus and with the passage of time, the enrolment could be enhanced to 8000. The campus, which would be first of its kind in the province, apart from the agricultural and animal husbandry, would offer educational and research facilities in management sciences as well as other disciplines of important nature.
Similarly, the OPF Girls Public School and College will be completed at a cost of Rs 67.3 million in a record time of 18 months, which would have the capacity to accommodate 600 students. The institution would also have the hostel facilities and offer co-education up to primary level as well.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor described the day as historic one for the people of Hangu and said that being the newly created district, its people are confronted with the problems of lack of educational facilities.
However, he remarked, the day is not far away, when the area would become an education city. The sub-campus of the NWFP Agriculture University, he remarked, would not only facilitate the people of southern districts of the province and its adjoining tribal agencies and would also be a great source of knowledge for the desirous students from the entire country as well as abroad.
In fact, Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai said, this is the fourth new project of its nature in the province during the last six months. The Khyber Medical University has recently started functioning while historic Islamia College has been given the status of university, he said.
Apart from this, he added, work on the establishment of the second campus of Hayatabad based Institute of Management Sciences has also been initiated whereas the earth breaking of the new campus of NWFP University of Engineering and Technology is expected to be taken in hand shortly which is expected to cost Rs 6.5 billion.
He said efforts are underway to create a new higher educational institution in the shape of Fata University, which would have its campuses in all the tribal agencies and later on all such campuses could be raised to the status of universities gradually. In fact, the Governor said, it is the vision of the government to establish at least one university in each district of the province to enable the youth to avail the educational facilities of higher knowledge in accordance with the demand of the hour. 50 percent of the seats in the new campus of the Institute of Management Sciences, the Governor said, would be meant for the students from Fata while 33 percent of the seats in the new Islamia College, being established at Swabi under the aegis of Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Memorial Trust would also be reserved for the students, hailing from Fata.
Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai said that he himself is a member of the Trust and according to the programme, the new Islamia College would be of the same standard and quality as of the existing Islamia College in all respects.
Referring to the OPF Public School and College project, the Governor said, it was his long cherished desire to have this institution at Hangu and he had been struggling for it for quite some time. Therefore, he added, the practically launching of the project is in fact of great satisfaction for him.
He expressed the determination to make efforts for establishment of an institution of similar nature for the boys as well under the arrangements of OPF at Hangu.
The Governor also paid rich tributes to the former Commandant of Frontier Constabulary, late Israr Ahmad Shinwari for providing land for the project and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul. He also highly appreciated the role and services of the present Commandant of the Force, Malik Naveed, which made the said land more useful for the institution. The Governor also stressed the elders of the area to fully focus on education of their children and thus make the investments of the government useful in true sense.
Speaking on the occasion, the Vice Chancellor of the NWFP Agricultural University Professor Dr Said Khan Khalil said that the Sub-Campus would be spread over an area of 1600 kanals. Their University, he added, is of international standards in all respects wherein out of 190 faculty members, 110 are having PhD level qualifications.
Presently, he remarked, 10,000 students are getting educational and research facilities in 10 different disciplines of the University and it has the capacity to fulfil the requirements to be emerged in the wake of it expansion.
The Managing Director of the Overseas Foundation, Syed Nazar Hasnain Haider while addressing on this occasion said that their institutions are already successfully working at Mansehra, Hangu and Dera Ismail Khan.
Earlier, the Governor formally launched the projects by un-veiling the plaques. The ceremony was largely attended by educationists as well as the elders of district Hangu and its adjoining Orakzai Agency and the respective senior government officials.