For students of Upper Dir : UET sets up engineering campus

Campus is an unprecedented milestone in the history of the area

PESHAWAR: Education proved to be a breakthrough in transforming the lives of those living in  war-hit Malakand.

This was stated by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Innayatullah Khan after breaking ground for the Upper Dir Campus of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) on Monday.

According to a statement issued by the UET administration, Innayatullah added that the campus was an unprecedented milestone in the history of the area, noting that it was part of a strategic vision of the provincial government to develop and bring quality education to the people in their own city.

“During the past few years, Khyber –Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), and especially the Malakand Division, has seen the worst form of terrorism, depriving the people of everything of value,” he said.



UET Peshawar Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Iftikhar Hussain stated that while the varsity had already expanded its campuses to five districts of the province, including Abbottabad, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu and Jalozai, these facilities were insufficient to meet the increasing number of students from districts of K-P such as Swat, Dir, Shangla, Bunir, Mardan, Swabi, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Karak and the seven tribal agencies.

He went on to thank K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Innayatullah for their support in opening a campus in Upper Dir. Higher Education Commission official Tariq Kamran also pledged to ensure all possible support to the varsity.

UET Peshawar (Upper) Dir Campus Project Coordinator Dr Nasir  Zaman stated that the provincial higher education department had already approved Rs2.02 billion for the campus under the annual development programme.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2018.