University of Malakand is a higher education institution, established in 2001 which is located at Chakdara in the Dir district of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan. It is located on the bank of the river Swat.
The need for University in Malakand division has been a felt need since 1972 but due to political polarizations between different political parties, the idea could not be materialized until 2001.
The present site for establishing a university was proposed by the Ex. Governor NWFP Mr. Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah. Prof: Dr. Lutfullah Kakakhel former advisor to Governor, NWFP is the key person in establishing of this institution.
After the announcement some legal points were raised by the provincial law department regarding establishing a university in the PATA (Provincially Administered Tribal Area) under Article 247 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a very old impediment in opening a University in the area since 1973.
The issue was resolved by the Honorable Governor by referring the case to the President to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan who permitted the university through a Presidential order/ Regulation. Hence, in a sense this is the only university in Pakistan chartered/ established by the highest seats of power in the country, the President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Governor NWFP.
The provincial Government, through a Gazette Notification No P-III dated 27 Oct 2001 (Extra Ordinary) formally announced a University for Malakand division on the premises of the defunct D.F.I.C at Chakdara.
