Needed: University for Chitral
Fardad Ali Shah Noor Alim
Every year, thousands of students from Chitral migrate to different cities of Pakistan for acquiring higher education due to unavailability of institutions in the district. There is one government commerce college in the main Chitral town. Separate campuses of the government degree colleges for males and females have also been established in the main city. There are so many private colleges which are providing quality education to the students up to graduation level. Also so many colleges for the promotion of business education have been established in 
different areas of Chitral. The campuses of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University and Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan have been established in Chitral to facilitate the students but they are not of national or international standard. As many as 45 colleges are affiliated with Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Dir. There are 27 private colleges in Chitral according to net sources. Approximately, 10,000 students are registered for board examinations (Matric) every year from Chitral. This district has 70% literacy rate in KPK according to government literacy rate bureau.
Chitrali nation is really eager to acquire education but they have been kept deprived of education by not establishing a fully fledged University in Chitral. They students who are capable of bearing their higher education expenses are migrated to Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and other big cities but other students, not having financial assistance remain deprived and skip their education. They join Chitral Scout, Army or join any other field of profession for their sustenance. There is not any good source of income except agriculture and there are not such farmlands from where they can earn good lively hood and sufficiency of food. Sometime this deprivation causes narcotic addiction among the young Chitrali Students.
Being the president of Chitral Students Welfare Association (CSWA), Karachi, I have noticed different issues of students in their studies in Karachi. Most of them have the financial issues, residential issues as there are no hostel facilities in Karachi, problem at the time of admission as per there is category system, sectarian killings are also big problems for Chitralis inhabitant in Karachi. There are also biased attitude of the authorities in the universities of Karachi. There is a great discrimination with Chitrali Students.
Education is the dire need of todays world. If Japan is developing its due to its education, and 99% literacy is registered. 5000 are doing Ph.D each year, bringing great change. Not only establishing university is necessary but making it the international standard should be the priority. We should finish nepotism in hiring faculty, and corruption free university to provide good quality facilities to students is also necessary. Government is authorized to establish university of a good standard where different students from different states will visit to study. it will promote tourism, and will generate huge revenue for the peaceful land like Chitral.
Very well said Ms. Brishna Syed Rustam.
good one fardad carry on…
Nice article, if you need Established University, Completion of lawari tunnels, Mega Hydel projects, Metal and widen roads and other important infrastructure construction then you need to bring back our great ruler and hero former president Mr. Pervaiz Musharraf
Because He is the only strong personality who can take timely and speedup decisions.
I endorse your saying Mr Shah Zaman, University will attract different people from different states to Chitral. Chitrali people are law abiding, devoted, and peaceful people. They are sincere to their work.
Establishing university will automatically develop our infrastructure. Its very necessary aspect of our life.
Thanks Issa Khan Momi for your comments, and its an eye opener for the educated people and they shoule make it their goal to establish a full fledged University. Chitral is coming under the criteria of establishment of University even we are made deprived of this because we have no proper leadership. Being a student we should preserve the future of other students, by establishing a fully fledged university with facilities provided to them.