By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The academic future of Allied Health Sciences students at Gomal University received a boost after a high-level meeting in Peshawar, chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Higher Education and Local Government, Meena Khan Afridi.
The meeting brought together Professor Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Vice Chancellor of Gomal University; Dr. Farrukh Jameel, Hospital Director at the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI); Gulzar Khan, Head of MTI Legal Team; senior officials from Khyber Medical University (KMU); and representatives of the Higher Education Department.
Minister Afridi acknowledged the concerns of Allied Health Sciences students across the province and announced that seats in these programs would now be allocated only to recognised, quality-assured universities. She warned that no public or private university would be permitted to follow arbitrary admission policies.
The minister also announced special internship opportunities to provide proper practical training and enhance professional skills. A formal letter would be issued to MTI and hospital administrations to ensure Gomal University students were accommodated for clinical training in line with existing agreements.
A high-level committee comprising all relevant stakeholders was also planned to review technical and administrative matters and draft a comprehensive, transparent policy framework for the future.
As an interim measure, KMU instructed MTI to immediately accommodate Gomal University students for clinical training, ensuring that their academic progress was not disrupted. All institutions were directed to cooperate fully in the process to safeguard the interests of the students.
