Some parties still have reservations over FATA merger

Jhagra says country’s politics needs more women

PESHAWAR: With several political parties demanding an immediate implementation of the merger between the tribal areas and the province, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Iqbal Zafar Jhagra on Monday said that some political parties still had reservations about it.

Speaking to the media at a University of Peshawar convocation on Monday, Jhagra assured that the merger process was underway and soon the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) would be part of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

He added that democracy has been strong in the country and only democracy can run the system of this country.

Around 345 graduates were awarded degrees during the convocation of which 237 were girls students and 108 were boys. The awardees included 21 PhD degree holders (12 women and nine men), six M.Phil. There were also 26 Gold medals including 12 awarded to girls and 14 to boys who grabbed the top position in their concerned departments.

With half of the country’s population comprising women, more individuals from that segment of the society need to be part of the politics, Jhagra said, adding that Pakistani women have leadership qualities and encouraged women to play an active role in all fields of life.

He added that institutions of higher learning need to concentrate on promoting education, develop knowledge and strengthen research activities. Explaining why he added that this aspect is key to enabling the nation to keep pace with modern needs and for the socio-economic uplift of society.

The governor further observed that the youth were the hope of the nation and that the nation will greatly depend upon the role the youth play and the value of services they can contribute to the society.

Jhagra asked the graduating students to continue their focus on seeking quality learning and to then apply the knowledge gained.

“We have pinned extra expectations from those graduates who have earned distinctions in their respective disciplines,” Jhagra said.

UoP vice-chancellor complained that the fund received from the Higher Education Commission was insufficient and that they required more funds for the uplift of the university.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2017.