CHITRAL, Nov 2, 2025: The government should double the reserved quota for students from Upper and Lower Chitral in professional medical and engineering colleges.
Addressing a press conference at the Chitral Press Club, PTI leader Mr Mahboob said the existing quota was fixed more than four decades ago when the undivided Chitral district had a population of around 0.2 million. At that time, the district was allocated six reserved seats in medical colleges and one in engineering colleges.
He noted that the population of Chitral has now increased to nearly 0.7 million, and the area has been divided into two districts, yet the quota remains unchanged. Despite the establishment of new educational institutions, the overall standard of education in Chitral has not improved significantly, he added.
Mahboob said that doubling the existing quota was essential to ensure equal opportunities for students from Chitral who continue to face challenges due to the region’s remoteness and inadequate infrastructure.
He called upon the provincial government to review the outdated allocation policy and ensure fair representation for students from both Upper and Lower Chitral in higher professional education.–Dawn
