KP Govt is Selling Universities’ Land

The decision to sell unused land originally acquired for universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has sparked intense controversy, with opposition leaders pledging to use every means at their disposal to block the government’s plan.

Sources from the Higher Education Department indicate that under pressure to settle Rs. 25 billion in unpaid dues to landowners, the provincial government feels compelled to sell unutilized university land to address its financial liabilities.

According to information obtained by The Express Tribune, during the Awami National Party’s (ANP) administration, 5,000 kanals of land were acquired for the Bacha Khan Greater Campus in Mardan. This included land for Abdul Wali Khan University (2,000 kanals), the Amir Mohammad Khan Campus of Agriculture University Peshawar (1,488 kanals), UET Mardan (400 kanals), and Bacha Khan Medical College (1,000 kanals). A portion of this land remains unutilized, with significant payments still owed to landowners.

Former chief minister and ANP leader, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, strongly criticized the land sale, calling it an attempt to offload national assets. “The ANP and other opposition parties will resist this decision fully. We will not allow the government to sell off the future of our next generation,” Hoti stated. He also accused the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of failing to fulfill promises, such as converting the Governor House into a public library and the Chief Minister House into a university, while now selling off university land. Hoti further announced plans to convene a political jirga, including PTI representatives, to put pressure on the government to reverse the decision.

Faisal Kareem Kundi, the Chancellor of Universities and Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also voiced his disapproval, criticizing the provincial government’s lack of vision regarding education policy. He condemned the exclusion of university chancellors from key decisions, stating, “The PTI has set fixed prices for everything, and soon they will set a price for the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar.”

Similarly, Syed Ali Shah Bacha, provincial president of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), condemned the move and announced that the PPP would file a writ petition in the Peshawar High Court to challenge the sale of university land.

In defense, Higher Education Minister Meena Khan Afridi explained that the sale was necessary to cover the Rs. 25 billion in arrears. Afridi clarified that only land related to these debts would be sold, and that, according to Higher Education Commission (HEC) standards, universities only require 120 kanals of land. Therefore, selling surplus land would not affect university operations.