Sarhad University convocation: Governor reminds students peace talks are not ‘child’s play’

Shaukatullah Khan says negotiation process will not happen overnight.

PESHAWAR:

There was more talk about militancy than education at the Sarhad University’s convocation on Wednesday, where Governor Shaukatullah Khan took the opportunity to discuss peace talks with the Taliban.

“Initiating peace talks with militants is not child’s play,” the governor said, adding it was in fact a sensitive issue. The government will negotiate for peace and will never allow anyone to derail the process, he added.

Addressing students and faculty members at the 10th convocation of Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Khan said, “It is impossible to have peace talks overnight; these things take time.”



Speaking about Sunday’s attack in Upper Dir where three officials, including Major General Sanaullah Khan Niazi, lost their lives, the governor said the incident is a step towards derailing the negotiation process.  “But those behind the incident will never succeed.”

“We need to know who did this and why,” the governor said, adding those behind the attacks will be brought to justice.

“Militancy has paralysed the education sector and educational institutes need to make a focused effort to deal with the crisis,” he added.

Recovery of kidnapped men

The governor also spoke about the recovery of Islamia College University Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Ajmal Khan and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s son Ali Haider Gillani, and said efforts are being made for the release of the two men.

Ali Haider was kidnapped days before the May general elections, while the VC has been missing for three years. Khan was kidnapped outside his residence in Professors Colony within the University of Peshawar in September 2010. His whereabouts are still not known.

Advisor to the chief minister on higher education, Mushtaq Ghani, appreciated the university’s distance learning programme and said it had been successful in the province and now needs to be extended to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Sarhad University VC Professor Dr Saleem-Ur-Rehman said the university is trying to extend services to the tribal areas.

Earlier, the governor gave away degrees to 100 graduating students, including 16 gold medallists from respective departments. Shakatullah also give away a PhD and an M.Phil degree to two students.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2013.