MOHAMADN, GHALANI: Students, elders, political and social figures, and various tribal communities protested strongly against the location of the proposed degree college in Pandiali tehsil of Mohmand tribal district, closing the Peshawar-Bajaur main highway for all types of traffic, due to which long queues of vehicles formed on both sides, causing a huge traffic jam.
Hundreds of people from Ambar, Atmankhel, Danishkul, and Dwizai communities participated in the protest. The protesters held banners and placards in their hands on which slogans were written in favour of establishing a degree college in backward areas. The participants also shouted slogans against the elected public representatives from Lower Mohmand and alleged that an attempt is being made to shift the college to the Burhankhel area of Pandiali, ignoring the opinion of the local population.
Addressing the protesters, the speakers said that the local committee had declared Ambar and Danishkol tehsils suitable for the establishment of a degree college, considering the population, geographical location, accessibility and ground realities, however, by ignoring these recommendations, a location is being selected that will cause difficulties for thousands of students from remote areas, especially the youth of Ambar, Danishkol and Dwizai, in obtaining education.
He said that many areas of Mohmand are already deprived of educational facilities; therefore, the new degree college should be established in such a backward area where it is needed the most. According to the speakers, education is the fundamental right of every student, and decisions on political or regional grounds in educational projects are unacceptable.
Due to the protest, the traffic flow on the Peshawar-Bajor highway was affected for several hours while the local administration and police officials were engaged in negotiations with the protesters. However, the protesters vowed to continue the protest until their demands were approved.
The protesters demanded that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, the Higher Education Department, and the district administration immediately review the decision on the location of the degree college and officially announce its establishment in Tehsil Ambar or Danishkool so that students from all areas can get equal educational facilities.
The protest leaders warned that if the government ignored the public demands, the scope of the protest would be further expanded, which could include a shutdown strike, continuous sit-ins, and a provincial-level protest movement.
Official Position: Till the filing of this news, there was no official statement from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government or the Higher Education Department regarding the protest or the location of the college, while this specific protest could not be confirmed by independent sources yet. If the government’s position is issued, the news will be updated accordingly.
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