Gomal University on way to progress, says vice chancellor

PESHAWAR: Professor Dr Mansoor Akbar Kundi, vice-chancellor of the Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, has said the university has improved academically and administratively since he took over in November 2009.
Talking to The News by phone, he said: “Thanks to Allah, there has been no mishap which could result in the closure of the university for a single day since I took over.”
He said the classes had been held regularly and examinations were also being conducted timely. He said the university had improved in ranking from 16th in the past to 5th in medium-sized universities category in 2013.
Dr Kundi said Gomal University was the toughest of all the universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as it was the second oldest and biggest university in the province.
He said no vice-chancellor except the founder Nawab Allah Nawaz Khan completed his four-year tenure, adding that on November 13, 2013 he would be the second to complete his term.
The academician said he had run the university on merit without succumbing to the pressure of the members of parliament and other influential people. He said there had never been any major display of arms on the university campus.
He said the Gomal University’s main campus is spread over an area of 8,050 kanals and it required 9.5 kilometres long boundary wall but only 5.5 kms had been constructed.
He said that unlike the University of Peshawar, the Gomal University did not have a Campus Peace Corps, and the existing strength of guards is insufficient to meet security requirements.
“I have demanded Campus Peace Corps and for the purpose the university has allotted 10 kanals land free of cost for the construction of Police Station,” he said. “A month after I assumed the charge as VC, the Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) as required by the HEC was established in the university,” he recalled. He said it is headed by a PhD professor and is monitoring and evaluating the academic performance and research work of all the faculties and departments. He said its performance was commended by the HEC and had been rated in highest category.
He said entry test for all admission to graduates (BS), postgraduates and MPhil/PhD programmes was introduced in 2010. Dr Kundi said mega construction projects, i.e the Faculty of Agriculture, new Administration Block, University Hospital, Extension of Biological Sciences Department, Polymer Centre and a Boys Hostel had been completed under his supervision.
He said a splendid mosque had been constructed on the campus near the newly established Faculty of Agriculture with Rs5.7 million donated by the Qatar Charity.
He said the private sector’s financial and technical support was also sought and the Lucky Cement Factory sited in Darra Pezu, Lakki Marwat, had sanctioned Rs6.1 million for the construction of Baby Care Centre in the University Public School at Gomal University, a Fitness Centre for students and a modern swimming pool. He said the first two had been completed and the third was under construction. He added that a section in the newly established hostel had been set up as the Sports Hostel.
He said that 12 students under the mega project had been sent to France, China, Malaysia and South Korea.
Regarding the scientific activities, he said that a Botanical Garden had been established and named after Nawab Allah Nawaz Khan, the first vice chancellor.
He said the university had sports grounds, one of which is named after Abdul Ali Khan, the former vice chancellor. He said orchards had been named after all the late vice chancellors.
He said the Fitness Centre had been named after former VC Saleem Dil Khan, adding that vehicles from the Customs and Excise Department were procured at token money and converted into university buses.
Dr Kundi said all these achievements were made despite financial crunch and cuts in development expenditures by the Higher Education Commission. He said the Gomal University had not received a single penny from the provincial government or Governor’s Secretariat since he assumed the charge in November 2009.
Kundi said a very important event was the Convocation 2011 held after five and a half years in which the Governor was the chief guest.
He said the Academic Council of the university had not met for seven long years due to differences among staff and academics but he successfully bridged their differences and the meeting was held on June 8, 2012. “It is important to note that in 2012 the Gomal University was chosen to host 130 Afghan students under the Prime Minister’s Special Programme,”
he added.
He demanded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to release Rs360 million “Bridge Financing Package” for the varsity to steer it out of the financial crisis.