Peshawar: Education key to fight militancy

Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti on Wednesday said that education was the only weapon to combat terrorism and militancy in the province. “We are ready to face any challenge and difficulties but will ensure a bright future for our next generation by spreading education,” he told a public meeting after laying the foundation- stone of new building of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM). AWKUM Vice-Chancellor Dr Ihsan Ali also addressed the meeting. Member National Assembly Himayatullah Mayar, Member Provincial Assembly Ghani Dad Khan, Awami National Party (ANP) district President Farooq Akram Khan, Commissioner Mohammad Adil Khan and elites of the city were also present. Chief Minister Hoti said that AWKUM had achieved great success in a very short period. He said that AWKUM was his dream and it has now started a successful journey. “I am laying the foundation-stone of 18 buildings on the same time and day on the land purchased for AWKUM,” he told the gathering. He said Mardan was ignored in terms of development during the last 60 years, but the ANP-led government established university, medical college, ring road, children hospital and other mega projects in the district. The chief minister appreciated the efforts of AWKUM vice-chancellor and his team saying they had succeeded in achieving the desired goals. He said he would talk to governor to extend the tenure of Dr Ihsan Ali as VC AWKUM because of his meritorious services towards education. He said the provincial government was facing challenges of terrorism, energy crisis, unemployment, which would be addressed through result-oriented policies. To address the energy crises in the province, he said the government has prepared a plan for executing several hydro-power projects. He said work on five hydro-power projects had already been started and would be completed in five years. The chief minister said the government had also established Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company which would start work shortly. “We are launching Rs1 billion project, “Naway Sahar Laptop Scheme” through which laptops would be given to talented students,” he said. Dr Ihsan Ali lauded the efforts of the chief minister and his team for establishing an institution like AWKUM in Mardan. He said that work was continuing on the new building of AWKUM and in the first phase its boundary wall of more than seven kilometres was completed.