PESHAWAR: Concerns have been raised among students and academic circles after the University of Peshawar announced the imposition of a sports fee on BS students of affiliated colleges ahead of semester examinations.
As per the notification issued by the university, the amount to be paid by different semesters varies as follows: second semester will be charged Rs 1,000; fourth semester Rs 2,000; sixth semester Rs 3,000; and eighth semester Rs 4,000.
It is noteworthy that paying the mentioned fee has been made mandatory for the submission of exam forms in order to be eligible for appearing in semester exams.
The decision has caused resentment amongst students, stating that it would place an extra burden upon them when many of them are already under stress due to rising education costs and economic issues.
The issue of justification of the extra fee being charged by the university has been questioned by the students and college authorities, as they stated that funds for sports and co-curricular activities are usually included within admission/registration fees.
Moreover, in most of the inter-collegiate sporting competitions, it is the respective affiliated colleges that bear all the costs of travel, kit, and logistics.
Now critics are demanding clarification from the university management about the application of the collected fee for sports and the reason behind its imposition during the examination period.
The aggrieved students have asked the university to reconsider its decision and give a detailed explanation about the imposition of this fee.
In addition to this, they have threatened that, in case their demand remains unattended, they may take another step very soon.
ANP’s Nisar Baz Slams Cut in KP Development Budget
Earlier, Member of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa representing Awami National Party (ANP) Nisar Baz Khan has expressed his reservations regarding the recent budget allocations for the province with regard to the cut in development funds.
Speaking through a video message on budget allocations, Nisar Baz Khan said that both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have serious issues such as underdevelopment, security issues, poor economic performance, unemployment and inflation.
While stating that the development budget of Balochistan remained untouched, Nisar Baz Khan said that the development budget for the province was slashed to an amount of Rs 109 billion, describing it as a “disparity” and harmful for the province.
Additionally, he also pointed out that the total amount owed to the province has exceeded Rs 5 trillion, which is why he asked what rationale lay behind the provincial government cooperating with fiscal policies of the federal government.
Stating that socio-economic conditions in the province had become worse, Nisar Baz Khan pointed out that businesses in the province have suffered badly due to inflation, unemployment and many other factors.
Highlighting worsening socio-economic conditions, Nisar Baz Khan said business activity in the province has been severely affected, unemployment has increased, and inflation has added further pressure on households.
He also questioned the effectiveness of the provincial government in advocating for its financial rights, asking why the case for fair resource distribution was not being pursued more strongly at the leadership level.
The statement adds to ongoing political debate over fiscal federalism and development priorities amid Pakistan’s broader economic challenges.
