MARDAN, Aug 24: Vice-Chancellor of the of Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Prof Dr Ihsan Ali on Monday directed early finalisation of the master plan of the new building of the varsity accommodating suggestions and recommendations. He issued the directives at a meeting held here in connection with the preparation of the master plan.

The consultant of the master plan presented the sketch of the new building of the university.

The meeting was apprised that 2,067 kanals of land had been specified for the new building, and the task would be accomplished in four years. Total estimated cost of the building would be Rs11 billion. Heads of different departments were asked for suggestions in this regard.

Mr Ihsan Ali suggested that the building should be built keeping in view the next one hundred years.

He directed the heads of botany, zoology, chemistry, physics and several other departments to put forward their suggestions in written form well in time so that the same could be made part of the master plan to make it more effective.

The vice-chancellor said the university had directed the concerned authorities that all the blocks of the new building and roads should be named after renowned Pakhtun personalities of the past and the present with a view to keeping the Pashtun culture alive.

Prof Ali regretted that the HEC had not provided a penny so far to the university and all the funds were exclusively provided by the provincial government.

He hoped in the next four years the number of students would exceed 16,000 mark, adding, the new building will have modern facilities.

Naeem Ahmad, who is the designer from the AMC Consultant, said the new building would also have swimming pools, indoor games facility and state-of-the-art classrooms.Dawn.