TIMERGARA: The government should facilitate students of religious seminaries in order to enable them to play active role in national development, says Vice Chancellor of University of Malakand (UoM) Prof Gul Zaman.

He was speaking at a twoday international conference on `English language teaching in religious seminaries, problems and challenges` that concluded here on Wednesday.

The conference was jointly organised by the Higher Education Commission and English department of UoM.

Students of religious seminaries from different areas of Malakand division, faculty members and university students were present on the occasion.

Prof Zaman said the event was aimed at mainstreaming religious education by promoting teaching of English in seminaries. He said teaching of English at religious seminaries would ensure the production of scientists and scholars in religious educational institu-tions. He said the government should encourage and facilitate students of religious seminaries so they could also play due role in country`s development.

The participants, majority of them religious seminaries` students, were awarded shields and certificates on the occasion.

BOOK FAIR CONCLUDES: The two-day book fair arranged jointly by the district government and National Book Foundation (NBF) ended at the Timergara Rest House on Wednesday.

The organisers also arranged stalls at government girls degree college Timergara on the second day to facilitate students and teachers.

Lower Dir Deputy Commissioner Atta ur Rehman opened the fair at the girls college during a brief function.

The organisers told this correspondent that over 4,000 youth visited the fair during the two days, saying hundreds of books were sold at 55 per cent discount. Correspondent