Islamic university being established in Nangarhar

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Construction of boundary wall around an Islamic International University began on Thursday in eastern Nangarhar province. The university’s establishment would cost $250 million in total and would take 15 years to complete, the higher education minister said.

Farida Momand said for now only the boundary wall would be constructed that would cost 37 million afghanis from the ministry’s development budget. She said Islamic and other countries would be asked for assistance in the university’s construction.

The minister said the university would have different faculties, libraries, laboratories and other related facilities and the capacity to accommodate 10,000 students at once.

The university is being established in an insecure area that falls in the middle of Batikot, Rodat and Kot districts. But Nangarhar governor Gulab Mangal promised complete security during the university’s construction and sought cooperation from local residents in this regard.

“Every resident of Nangarhar has the responsibility to cooperate with the government in providing security for national projects. Similarly, the security forces with their full resolve will discharge their duty in implementation of the project.”

Local residents said they were happy with the university project. Maulvi Nisar Ahmad Hashmi, a resident of Rodat district, said: “Our youth go to foreign countries in pursuit of religious education but there they are made enemies of their own country. The university project is indeed a great step,” he said.

The Islamic International University is being established in front of the Ghazi Amanullah Khan Township in Rodat district on a land measuring 500 acres. Similar universities are established in Pakistan and Malaysia.

ma