No Single College Affiliated With FATA University: Senate Body Told

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday informed Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) that not a single college was affiliated with FATA University

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Oct, 2020 ) :The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday informed Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) that not a single college was affiliated with FATA University.

The committee met here at Parliament House under chairmanship of of Senator Taj Muhammad Afridi, Chairman of the committee.

The members of the committee Senator Atta Ur Rehman and Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan also attended the meeting.

The committee was briefed regarding the progress made on the establishment of Erstwhile FATA University, setting up campuses of the university and number of colleges affiliated with it.

While briefing the committee, the HEC senior official said that the matter did not pertain to HEC and it was domain of Higher Education Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The committee was further informed that a project titled "Establishment of sub campuses of public sector universities at district level phase-II was proposed in PSDP 2018-19.

Four campuses of FATA University at Bajaur, South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Khyber Agency were proposed, the committee was informed in a written reply, adding that but due to rationalization, the project was dropped from PSDP.

Moreover, FATA University is in its initial stage of development and establishment of it's campuses in ex-FATA is not feasible at that stage for the university.

The committee was further informed that the construction work on following facilities was in progress on academic blocks, students hostel, faculty hostel, administration block, Central library, common facilities and gymnasium for the students, faculty and staff residences and roads and external development works.

Around 20 scholarships have been awarded for the PhD studies for the faculty development of the university in various disciplines.

11 scholars have proceeded abroad and joined foreign universities for their studies, while remaining are in process for completion of pre-departure formalities to proceed abroad.

The committee was further informed that Bahauddin Zakaria University unable to accommodate students quota due to heavy financial burden on the university's exchequer.

Students previously enrolled will continue to obtain free education and boarding till the completion of degree in the university.

The committee was informed that relief package for farmers of tribal districts as approved by the Federal cabinet would be released with 45 days.

The committee was also briefed regarding total number of SNEs creation, categorization and up-gradation of posts of medical specialists in the hospitals of erstwhile FATA.

Director Health Merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed the committee that 472 posts of various categories /grades for categorization and upgradation were submitted to finance during the year 2019-20, only 47 senior medical officers posts to principal medical officer from BPS-18-19 were upgraded /categorized. For remaining finance directed to furnish the written evidence of the sanctioned posts of senior medical officers of the various districts.