Islamic varsity being set up in Nangarhar

JALALABAD (PAN): An international Islamic University is being established in eastern Nangarhar province in line with a decision of the 12th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit this year, the finance minister has said.

Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal told reporters on Monday evening in Jalalabad, the provincial capital, that the Cabinet had agreed to the establishment of the university in Nangarhar.

He said the university project was estimated to cost $70 to $80 million which would be provided by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

However, he said a piece of land for the university had not been identified as yet. A delegation from Kabul would visit the province in the near future for a survey to indentify land for the scheme, he added.

“The university needs up to more than 700 acres of land and God willing, the process will begin soon,” Zakhilwal said.

The minister also said the government had budget for the construction of the second Kabul-Jalalabad and second Jalalabad-Torkham road and work on the projects would be launched soon.

He said the government had also set aside funds to reconstruct the Behsud bridge, asking the public works ministry to launch work on the bridge.

Zakhilwal said the issue of power supply to the Hesar Shahi industrial park remained a concern, but hoped businessmen would come and establish factories at the park.

“I am trying to resolve problems at the industrial park at the earliest,” he said.

About the Nangarhar University, the finance minister said projects worth $6 million had been approved for the university, but acknowledged the schemes could not be initiated so far.

During his visit to Nangarhar, Zakhiwal held a series of meetings with tribal elders, youth and university teachers.

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