MIANWALI: The University of Mianwali (UoM) has been awaiting appointment of a permanent vice chancellor and teaching staff since its establishment for the last more than six months.

The university was notified by Punjab Higher Education Department on Aug 20, 2019 in hometown of the premier through an Act. It became functional with admission of nearly 3,000 students in December 2019.

The authorities did not appoint a permanent vice chancellor here as University of Gujrat VC Dr. Shabbar Attique had been entrusted with the additional charge.

Dr Attique would visit the university once a month. Now the University of Jhang VC Dr. Shahid Munir has been given the additional charge of vice chancellor. The university is short of teaching faculty as well.

Some students told Dawn that the government seemed least interested in making the university properly functional.

They said it was strange that the university was made operative over 10 acre land owned by government postgraduate college, Mianwali, whereas University of Thal at Bhakkar was provided with a proper piece of land.

They demanded that the government provide land to the university near Daanish School on Mianwali-Multan Road.

They said the other option is 2,600 kanal land donated by people of Chidroo for the cadet college which was duly transferred to the name of defence ministry but the cadet college was shifted to Isakhel tehsil. This land has been lying vacant since long.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2020