BKU management to purchase sophisticated arms as preventive measure

Decision comes after ill equipped security personnel were provided to schools

ISLAMABAD: Bacha Khan University management decided on Wednesday to purchase sophisticated arms and ammunition for its staff as a preventive measure, should another terrorist attack occur in the future.

"It is a known fact that absolute absence of government-provided training and well-equipped security personnel is one of the major reasons for the terrorist attack," BKU vice chancellor Dr Fazal-i-Rahim said while speaking to The Express Tribune.



"We have decided to issue tenders to press for this purpose soon," he added.

The decision was taken by the management as district authorities have not made adequate security measures following the recent terrorist attack on the campus which left 20 dead.

Thus far, the plan includes acquiring machine guns, rocket launchers and pistols among other weapons. Pistols will also be provided to the teaching staff.

"Many teachers of the varsity have demanded pistols at their own expense," the vice chancellor revealed, adding that they have requested the administration to provide these on installments.

"We should be able to defend our institution in case of any such incident," he asserted.

Earlier, according to media reports an inquiry committee headed by the Peshawar commissioner recommended the removal of the VC after the committee declared him responsible for the losses the university suffered.



"I have not accepted the committee's final reports due to many reasons. I do not know who constituted the committee. According to the rules and procedure only the provincial governor who is a chancellor is a competent authority for the removal of any vice-chancellor," he asserted.

Many colleagues of the VC also resisted the committee's recommendation and are of the view that he was being victimised on political grounds.

"Many government officials considered the VC as an activist of Awami National Party (ANP)," they said, while rejecting the notion. The only evidence against the VC is that he was appointed by the previous ANP government. Those who are responsible for the attack themselves are recommending the removal of VC, they added.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army chief General Raheel Sharif upheld that  the national resolve to fight terrorism and extremism is unflinching and “those threatening our children from going to schools will be defeated."



Last month, heavily armed gunmen stormed the campus in Charsadda, killing 21 people in an attack that had chilling echoes of a 2014 assault on the Army Public School in nearby Peshawar, also claimed by Mansoor’s faction.

The rampage threatened to shatter the sense of security growing in the troubled region a year after the Peshawar attack, which left more than 150 people dead — mostly children.