Concerted efforts needed to get board office and varsity

The population of Chitral has been estimated according to different census of private and government sector as there has not been official census since 1998. When the last census was held in 1998, Chitral’s population was 318,689, according to the Bureau of Census. It is estimated that the population of the valley is now over 0.5 million. The area of Chitral is 14,850 sq kms. Also Chitral consists of six tehsils but there is no full/complete board and university, which is the right of the people of Chitral. The number of enrolled students is multiplied day by day in BISE Peshawar. The setting up of the board campus in Chitral is a big step by the PTI provincial government. We also know that the KP government has many challenges to face. We the people of Chitral only want our rights that include a full board and a university. I have heard from a strong source that it will take time, because the annual submitted rupees in the banks by the students is less and not sufficient to set up a full board. The Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University(SBBU) was founded in Chitral but former minister Mr Najumud Din Khan shifted it to Upper Dir. Later, a campus was opened in Chitral to placate the people of Chitrali people. All campus of other universities do not fulfill the requirement of students therefore mostly students migrate to Peshawar for their further education. The politicians are often shying away from opening a full board and university in Chitral. It will only be possible when our MPAs and MNA take up the matter in assemblies.—Abbas Hussain, Drosh  ]]>