Ex-Fata students end protest after talk with governor

LAHORE: A number of ex-Fata students who had been staging a protest sit-in outside Governor House for the last 16 days demanding restoration of scholarships at Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB) called off their sit-in after successful negotiation with Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar and Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar, who is also chancellor of public sector universities of the province, announced scholarships for 1,000 students annually including 200 girls from Fata, and also announced setting up Punjab University sub-campus in Fata and Government College University, Lahore sub-campus in Gilgit.

Students of Islamia University Bahawalpur belonging to ex-Fata held talks with Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar at Governor House Lahore on Sunday regarding their demands. Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi, MPA from FATA Naseer Ahmed were present on the occasion.

The negotiation lasted for 6 hours after which Ch Sarwar accepted all the demands of Fata students.

After successful negotiations, the governor in a press conference with Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi said that according to the decision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Federal Cabinet, 1,000 students from Fata would be given 100pc scholarships in different universities of Punjab every year till 2027, adding that today ‘we have also decided that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would give land in Fata and we would set up a trust to make Punjab University sub-campus in Fata and as soon as the Punjab University’s syndicate committee formally approves, the work to set up the sub-campus will begin’.

Ch Sarwar said that all measures would be taken to solve the problems faced by the students of Fata in the hostels of the universities due to Corona so that they could have access to the internet for online classes.

He also thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Punjab, Federal Minister for Education, Chairman Senate and Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser for their support in resolving this issue.