Students stage protest against increase in fee

SWABI: The students of University of Swabi (UoS) and various colleges on Tuesday staged demonstrations against the increase in fees and blocked the road for hours.

A large number of students of universities and colleges gathered at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk on the call of the Muttahida Talaba Mahaz to stage a protest.

The protesters were carrying placards and chanting slogans against the management and administration of the university and colleges.The protesting students said that there was a 300 percent increase in the fees, which they could not afford.

They vowed to continue protest if their demand of withdrawing the recent increase in fees was not withdrawn.“If management of UoS and colleges fail to withdraw fees, we will be left with no other option but to hold demonstrations in the university campus and premises of the colleges. Our parents are not in position to pay the fee, which has been increased recently,” said a student leader.

Meanwhile, Controller of examination of the UOS, Dr Baseer, and officials of the district administration held negotiations with protesting student leaders at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk and persuaded them to end the protest. The students were assured that the syndicate meeting would be convened soon to decide the fee issue.