PESHAWAR: Work on Fata University would be completed in three years as master plan of the project was in final phase, said Prof Tahir Shah, the vice-chancellor of the university.

He was addressing a seminar titled `Pal(htun culture and its challenges` here on Monday. The seminar was organised by the university at its makeshift hall.

Noted poet Prof Abaseen Yousafzai was the keynote speaker while Prof Tahir Shah chaired the event.

Fata University had been set up at a portion of Government Degree College Dara, FR Kohat in Akhurwal area. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra had inaugurated the first ever public sector university in tribal areas on December 5, 2016while classes at the university in four disciplines had been started on October 24, 2016.

Prof Tahir Shah said that presently only four departments including mathematics, sociology, Bachelor of Business Administration and political science had been launched under the supervision of 8-member faculty.

He said two more disciplines -Information Technology (IT) and English -would be launched soon. He added that a 52-seat bus would also be provided in addition to other facilities to the students.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai in his research paper highlighted salient features of Pakhtun culture. He said that Pakhtuns enjoyed a history spread over thousands of years. He said that they evolved their `Pakhtunwali` as a complete code of life.

Prof Abaseen said that Pakhtuns had been exploited many a times because of their simplicity and volatile nature. He said that Pakhtuns had never taken up arms against others unless their own land and honour had been threatened.

`Pakhtun culture stands on three pillars manners, values and rules. Some of the so-called Pakhtun ethos like honour killing,depriving women of their due share in property and swara are now no more considered even human practices let alone part of Pakhtun society. We should discard all these practices, which are incompatible with human dignity,` he added.

Bostan Afridi, a student, told Dawn that federal and provincial governments should both help tribal students to realise their dream to have an easy access to quality education. He said that tribal people loved their country more than others and always wanted better health and education facilities.

Shafaq-Zu-Fishan, a faculty member, said that Fata was rich in cultural heritage and research scholars would be in better position once state-of -the art university was in place in the area. She said that Pakhtun culture had a place for women but imparting quality education to women would make them empowered and socially strong.

Prof Fazal Hanan, chairman of sociology department and chief organiser of the event, said that despite meagre resources, he and his colleagues would continue to organise co-curricular activities at the university.