ANP, PPP leaders criticise Swabi varsity VC over ‘mismanagement’

SWABI: Leaders of the Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) criticised the vice-chancellor of the University of Swabi on Friday, alleging that he has damaged the reputation of the institution.

They announced plans to meet with the governor regarding the matter. The leaders held a press conference at the entrance gate of the university, which was attended by various party leaders and workers, especially from the ANP. Following the press conference, the Pakhtun Students Federation (PSF) staged a protest against the vice-chancellor.

Prominent leaders present at the presser included Salim Khan advocate, former provincial general secretary of ANP; Ghulam Haqqani, ANP district president; Ali Khan, PPP district president; Biland Iqbal Tarakai, PPP provincial leader; Dr Waqar Yousafzai, ANP central secretary for education affairs; Mohammad Rashid advocate; Mohammad Ishfaq, former election candidate for the provincial assembly; and the district president of Malgari Wakeelan.

Salim Khan advocate criticised the KP chief minister, suggesting that the government should sell the golf ground in Peshawar to improve its financial position instead of university property. He emphasised that the University of Swabi was built according to the ideology of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and that educating the youth is a key policy of his party.

Dr Waqar Yousafzai highlighted financial issues, noting that the new budget of UoS shows a loss of Rs190 million, and predicting that the loss will increase to Rs200 million by the end of the vice-chancellor’s tenure in October.

Ghulam Haqqani accused the VC of making new hires while laying off local staff, questioning how the university would afford to pay the new employees.PPP district president Ali Khan stated that he would soon meet the KP governor, also the chancellor of UoS, to inform him about the alleged illegal recruitment and mismanagement.