Prof. Dr. Zahir Shah, Vice Chancellor,
University of Chitral, extended warm congratulations to Mr. Arshad Khan on his
recent posting as Secretary of the Higher Education Department (HED) in his
office today on 23.10.2023. The Vice-Chancellor briefly highlighted several
remarkable achievements made by the University of Chitral in a short span of
time, such as the successful acquisition of 200 kanal land for the
establishment of the University campus, approval of a PSDP project worth Rs.
1.724 billion for civil work and other procurements and the initiation of
M.Phil programs in various academic disciplines, all these signifying the
university's dedication to providing advanced educational opportunities to the
aspirants of advanced studies in this remote part of the country.
Amidst these notable milestones, the Vice Chancellor also mentioned the
numerous challenges currently faced by the University. Foremost among these
challenges is the non-allocation of recurring grants for the University of
Chitral by the HEC. He mentioned that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has
allocated a meager amount of Rs. 20 million only, which is inadequate to cover
even one month's operational expenses of the University. This financial
constraints has emerged as a substantial impediment in achieving the goals set
by the University management and ongoing operations and expansion.
In response to this pressing issue, the Honorable Secretary Higher Education
Department assured the Vice Chancellor of his commitment to resolving the matter.
He pledged to take up this issue with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) as
well as with the Provincial Government to explore sustainable solutions that
ensure the financial stability of the University of Chitral.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with a unified vision of overcoming
the financial challenges and advancing the growth and development of the
University of Chitral as a maiden institute in this underprivileged region.
