SWABI: Provincial minister for higher education Meena Khan Afridi awarded degrees and gold medals to 480 graduates during the joint convocation of Women University Swabi (WUS) and University of Swabi (UoS) here on Wednesday.

Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser was the guest of honour on the occasion. The chief minister`s participation in the convocation was also announced earlier, but he didn`t turn up over unknown reasons.

Perhaps it was the first time a provincial minister presided over convocation after the chancellorship of the public sector universities in the province had been transferred from governor to the chief minister, following an amendment in theUniversities Act by provincial assembly in February.

Prof Mian Sayed Khan, Vice-Chancellor of UoS, who also holds the additional charge of WUS VC,also graced the occasion.

The organisers said 77 students of different departments of the two universities were awarded gold medals for their outstanding performance.

Speaking on the occasion, Meena Khan congratulated the administrations of both the varsities, graduates, and their parents on their remarkable achievements.

He lauded Mr Qaiser`s efforts in establishing two seats of higher education in Swabi.

He said the KP government had initiated several measures to promote higher education in the province, improve the quality of research and the overall performance of universities.

He announced that a `Research and Development Fund` was being established, under which researchers would be provided with modern facilities and better researchopportunities. Moreover, he said a new ranking system was being introduced for universities under which grants would be issued based on academic and research performance.

WOMAN, TWO SONS KILLED: A woman and her two young sons were killed when unidentified assailants openedfire onthemhereWednesday, the police said.

SHO Topi city police station Haroon Khan said the woman and her sons were killed at two separate places in Zarobi village.

He said the two brothers were killed in wheat fields and their mother inside her house. He added it seemed the unidentified assailants first killed the two boys and later dashed to their house and killed their mother as well.

It was learnt that there was a land dispute between the families of the deceased andthe attackers.