MARDAN: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved the first research journal of Pakhtunkhwa Economic Policy Research Institute (PEPRI), Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, officials said here on Saturday.

They said that the institute consisted of the departments of economics and tourism and hospitality.

They said the research journal – Journal of Applied Economics and Business Studies – had been placed in the highest ‘X’ category that till date was a distinguished achievement given its first attempt to enter into the pool of HEC-recognised journals.

The officials said that the research journal’s chief editor was the varsity’s Pro-VC Prof Dr Zahoorul Haq and its patron-in-chief was Vice Chancellor Prof Khurshid Khan.

They said that in this connection a high-level meeting was held that was chaired by the VC and attended by PEPRI project director Prof Zahoorul Haq and other relevant officials.

They said that participants of the meeting were of the view that PEPRI would play an important role in shaping the economic policy of the province.

The institute has a diverse portfolio of research activities, including developing of a computable general equilibrium model for KP, a tobacco sector study, higher education profile and other trade-related studies.

Prof Khurshid stressed the importance of uplifting vocational potential of the students in the university.

He said that PEPRI would also ensure progress in various research departments of the province.

The department of agriculture, in particular, would be further improved, he said.

ANTI-POLIO DRIVE: A meeting held at the DC office on Saturday reviewed arrangements for the anti-polio campaign scheduled to start on Monday (tomorrow).

The meeting was chaired by deputy commissioner, Mardan, Mohammad Abid Wazir and attended by district health officer Dr Ubaidur Rehman, and officials of the law enforcement agencies and police department.

The participants were briefed about arrangements for provision of foolproof security to the polio staff during the campaign.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2020