24/03/2025
External Interference Ails a University in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Yesterday, while scrolling down the social media, I came across an article titled “What ails universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”. As someone interested in higher education of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the article instantly grabbed my attention and I looked forward to a great read. However, as soon as I reached the second paragraph of the article I could easily smell bias and ill intentions of the writer. The writer draws a broad premise deploring the general lack of quality in the education sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa providing some statistics about the competitive examinations for civil services and judiciary and then goes on to target a specific university as if the entire education system of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rests on that particular university and all the other universities in the province are either flawless or unworthy of the attention of the writer.
The writer conveniently ignores the financial problems the universities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced for a long period of time. He ignores the inconsistent policies of both the federal and provincial governments in the context of higher education in general and universities in particular. He ignores the fact that a substantial number of BS students are graduates of the colleges and not of the universities as per the policy of the government to initiate BS programs in colleges. He ignores the infrastructural issues faced by the universities due to a lack of funding from the government and the decline in enrolment of students in all the universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the availability of the same degree with much lesser fee in the colleges. Furthermore, he overlooks the inconsistencies in the policies of the Higher Education Commission which has contributed to the degradation of educational standards in the universities.
Overlooking all these and other factors which contribute to the “ailing of Universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”, the writer focuses particularly on the current administration at the specific university that the writer targets for known reasons which we shall discuss later. In the incumbent setup at the university the writer makes sure to attack the current Registrar targeting his eligibility for the said post again conveniently overlooking the fact that the same person has served as additional registrar of the same university under the same statutes during the previous two administrations which the writer has praised on multiple occasions again for known reasons. It appears that the writer has selective memory and standards when it comes to this particular university and selectiveness in standards and principles implies vested interests.
Talking of vested interests, it is worth noting that the writer has remained a member of the governing bodies of the university that he now targets. He has remained a member of the selection board and the syndicate of the university. His position as someone who had a dominant role in the affairs of the university during previous administrations deprives his criticism of any legitimacy that it might otherwise had. His criticism simply appears to be a war of words against the current administration to get back his influence at the university. Additionally, His position as a genuine critic is further weakened by the fact that his son is currently serving as the legal advisor of the said university. It is worth mentioning that he was hired by the previous administration and his contract is about to expire, the father’s criticism might be directed towards securing an extension for the son.
The writer’s position as someone who had immense influence in the university during the administration of three Vice Chancellors which include the pioneer Vice Chancellor and the past two administrations compromises his position as a critic rather makes him an outsider with stakes in the university. It appears that he is attempting to undermine the current administration with help from inside the university in order to serve his interests and the interest of those who have helped him over a period of time to gain an influence inside the university. In the end it must be pointed out that interference from the outside is one of the main reasons along with other reasons which ails the universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and it must stop.
