Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, being perturbed at the law and order situation and mismanagement at the University of Karachi (KU), has asked its vice-chancellor to bring normalcy to the campus or be ready for his departure from the university.
The stern warning from the governor to VC Prof Pirzada Qasim was given after a marathon meeting at the Governor’s House on Tuesday. The meeting that began at 3:00 pm continued till 7:00 pm.
The governor candidly told the VC that the KU, like other universities, had to be cleansed from political influence or else he would be fired.
Dr Khan, accompanied by his Principal Secretary Mumtaz Ur Rahman and Special Secretary Major (retd) Aftab Lodhi, told the vice-chancellor in plain words that the situation on the campus had reached the saturation point and any new disturbance there would lead to his last day in office.
The KU authorities have miserably failed to maintain peace on the campus, where clashes between rival groups of students have affected the academic atmosphere for quite sometime. Thousands of students are bearing the brunt of these clashes, which have caused frequent postponements of semester examinations.
There seems to be complete security collapse at the university as the administration is wilting under the political pressure. The KU even postponed its Syndicate meeting scheduled for Wednesday because there was no surety that it would not be disrupted by students.
The dismal situation that has been wasting the precious time of students emerged after the student wing of a political party posed threat to the selection board for Mass Communications teachers because a candidate who allegedly enjoyed their support had failed to qualify.
A similar thing happened at a meeting of the selection board for the recruitment of teachers in the Political Science Department when students from the same group caused disruption after their candidate could not clear the interview.
Former Campus Security Adviser Dr Khalid Iraqi, who was known for taking quick action to avoid any disturbance at the campus, had to resign as he was not allowed by the KU administration to take firm action against the hooliganism by a section of students. The selection of Captain (retd) Zahid Maqsood as KU security chief, who had applied as a retired major, became controversial and he had to go since he could not gain recognition from anyone at the university.
In the meantime, a students’ alliance, comprising students from the Imamia Students Organisation (ISO), the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT), the People’s Students Federation (PSF) and the Punjabi Students Association (PSA), protested against the policies of the VC and the Pro-VC for failing to control the situation.
The KU administration then appointed Siddique Naveed as Campus Security Adviser. The alliance reacted angrily to his appointment as Naveed was a member of a party. The KU administration removed him from the post. A notification in this regard is still awaited.
Vice Chancellor Prof Pirzada Qasim and Pro-VC Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi chose to stay away from the university on Monday. Another Pro-VC, Dr Nasiruddin Khan, is reported to be in Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah.
President Karachi University Teachers Society Dr Abid Hasnain told The News that their concern about the pathetic security system at the KU had proved true because they (KUTS) had agreed to conduct the ongoing examinations but the university administration backtracked from its promise to remain firm against any political pressures.
Another KUTS official, who wished anonymity, remarked: “We (KUTS) had agreed to conduct the examinations despite knowing that the VC and his army of incompetents were offering us a cosmetic surgery but the administration failed yet again. It is very embarrassing for us at the university and it seems as if there exists no administration at all at the campus.”
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