Indian held-Kashmir to have its own Islamic university
Pakistan Times Kashmir Desk

SRINAGAR: Authorities in Indian held-Kashmir have given the go-ahead for the establishment of an Islamic university of science and technology, the first of its kind in the restive Muslim-majority region, an official statement said Tuesday.

“The university will be set up by Kashmir’s Muslim wakf board,” the statement said, referring to the government-backed board that manages all shrines and Islamic sites in occupied Kashmir.

“The university will be a self-financing institution with no grant-in-aid provided by the government,” the state government statement said.

Kashmir has four existing universities, one of them set up by a trust managing a revered Hindu shrine in the region’s Jammu area.

The university is being established “to promote higher learning in Islamic, scientific and technical education,” Indian-installed 'Chief Minister' Mufti Sayeed said after his 'cabinet' gave approval for the venture.

Aside from regular studies, the university is expected to offer correspondence courses and research facilities.

“Significantly, the university would be open to students of all communities without any discrimination of religion, caste or creed,” the statement contended.

Education has been badly hit by a 16-year-old insurgency against Indian rule in the the forcibly occupied part of the Himalayan State by India, with many schools going up in flames during clashes between troops and the freedom-seekers.

Some are under occupation by the large numbers of Indian troops pumped into the state to fight the insurgency that has left tens of thousands dead so far.●