PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Engr Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has claimed that federal government is keen to establish a proper chain of public universities and colleges across the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). “It was a long cherished dream of the people of FATA to get higher education for their children at their doorstep”, the Governor said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of FATA University the first ever Varsity built at Darra Adam Khel area of Kohat, Frontier Region. He was chief guest of the ceremony while Lt General (Retd) Abdul Qadir Baluch, MNAs Ghalib Khan Wazir, Maulana Jamal-ud-Din, Nasir Khan, Nazir Khan and Qaisar Jamal and senators Momin Khan and Aurganzeb Khan, Commissioner, Kohat Division, Musarrat Hussain representatives of Higher Education Commission (HEC) Kohat Division were also present besides vice chancellors of various universities and a large number of students and elders of the area also attended it. Highlighting the importance of the establishment of the FATA University, the Governor said, it was a long cherished dream of the people of FATA. To materialize it in line with the directives of the Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif, special measures have been taken for the university. It is because of this very fact, the Governor said, this first ever university of FATA has become functional in very short span of time. On the occasion, he also appreciated the presence of almost all the parliamentarian from FATA in the inaugural ceremony of the University which reflects their keen interest in making the Education Emergency Progaramme in FATA a true success. “We are in the struggle to spread a network of colleges and universities in FATA to offer ample opportunities to youth of the area for seeking higher education. Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Dr Tahir Shah while welcoming the Governor and the other guests also highlighted certain difficulties being faced by the institution and requested the Governor to help them in their resolution. The Governor assured to take necessary steps for their resolution on priority basis. Candidates who failed to get job accuse AWKU VC of violating merit: Scores of candidates, who have failed to get jobs in Abdul Wali Khan University (AWKU) Mardan, blamed the university Vice Chancellor for violating merit in appointments and demanded of provincial government to take action against the VC. Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday the candidates led by Engineer Sikandar Khan said that over 400 people had applied for various posts but many of the short listed candidates were totally ignored, while those appointed did not fulfill the required merit. Sikandar said that most of the vacancies had been filled by the people who had blood relationship with influential employees of the university. He said that the views, cousins and brothers of many senior employees succeeded to get jobs in violation of merit but no action was taken against the selection committee. Flanked by several elected representatives including local nazims, Babar Ali, Adil Khan, Nasir Afridi, the candidate said that the vacancies had been filled but the merit list was not displayed on notice board or website which further caused unrest among the candidates. Besides, he said the candidate had repeatedly visited the university to get information if they were appointed or not but no one was there to tell them the real story, saying that they came to know about violation of merit when many of their acquainted people obtained appointment letters and started attending duties.