Bacha Khan University reopens today

Enhanced security measures taken, transport facility withdrawn

PESHAWAR: The Bacha Khan University, Charsadda is reopening today after several weeks of closure following the terrorist attack in which 21 students and staff members were killed. “The university is reopening on Monday.

The students and staff members would start coming to the institution. However, it would take some time to fully resume the academic activities,” Vice-chancellor Dr Fazlur Rahim Marwat told The News.

 Enhanced security measures have been taken at the university. Police and other security agencies have been put on alert to provide stringent security to the institution. More CCTV cameras have been installed inside the university. The boundary walls have been raised and more security guards hired to ensure protection of the university.

The transport facility at the university has, however, been withdrawn for security reasons, which would certainly cause serious problems to the day-scholars and staff members.

The university, which is located at a remote village - Palosa - in Charsadda district, doesn’t have an easy access. No main road passes through the university and similarly public transport doesn’t ply the university road.

 The university buses used to provide pick and drop service to the students and employees from Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar and Charsadda districts. But after the terrorist attack, it would be great risk to use the buses that carry the name and logo of the university on the main roads. Some 3,000 students are enrolled on the university and 550 teaching and non-teaching staff members are working over there. Only a few hundreds of these students and staff members are boarding in the two hostels for boys and one each for girls and staff.

 The remaining ones have to come to the university on daily basis from various districts of the province. According to Dr Fazlur Rahim Marwat mere cosmetic measures like having security guards at the buses were not a viable solution. Therefore, the university management decided to withdraw the pick and drop facility for the time being, he said.

 He said that the students and the staff members would have to make private arrangements for coming to the university. About the resumption of academic activities, he said, it would be exaggeration to say that the university would fully function from today. The vice-chancellor said that the orientation sessions would be held at the initial days and some tours would be arranged for the students.

 Trauma counselling would also be arranged for the affected students and staff members, he added. “It will take a few more days to review the timetables and restart formal classes,” he added. “Let me make it clear that the university was not completely closed after the attack. The senior students - PhD, MPhil scholars - kept coming to the university to continue their academic and research activities. The staff members also attended their duties during these days,” he said.

 Regarding the repair and reconstruction work in the university, he said that all the damaged parts of the university have been refurbished and the signs of the terror attack have been removed. Four terrorists had entered the university on January 20. After a day-long gun battle and killing of 21 students and staff members for the university, the terrorists were also killed by the security forces. The university was reopened on January 25 only to be closed again for an indefinite time.

 Meanwhile, the provincial government formed a probe committee to look into the matter and the committee held the some top officials of the university responsible for the security lapse. It recommended their removal. The committee’s suggestions triggered a strong reaction from the university’s employees and students.

The teaching staff of other public sector universities also expressed reservations over the committee’s findings and recommendations. Some political parties especially, Awami National Party (ANP) also condemned the committee and its proceedings, though no action was taken in light of the committee’s report.