Students force cancellation of exams
Student activists of a
sectarian party forced the cancellation of the ongoing examinations of
BS at the University of Karachi (KU) and did not allow teachers and
students to attend classes on Wednesday.
The atmosphere at KU remained that of fear and disgust and questions
were asked by the teachers and students about the role of the Rangers
who were hardly visible during any unruly action by the students. |
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The students belonging
to the Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) restored to forced closure of
the ongoing exams and classes after some graffiti in the Arts Lobby and
Dr Mahmood Hussain Library reportedly hurt their sentiments.
A former ISO president Zahid Hussain told The News that his organisation
had approached the KU administration for investigation and apprehension
of the offenders but there was no action from them. The ISO students
gathered near the Central Cafeteria and after some fiery speeches it was
decided to force the cancellation of the examinations.
This correspondent was sitting in the room of a chairperson of a
department in the Arts Faculty when one of the staff members of the
department rushed in telling the chairperson that he was closing her
door from outside because it was not safe to leave the door opened. The
pale face of the chairperson spoke volumes of her trauma and the lack of
safety of the teachers and the common students.
Campus Security Advisor Dr Khalid Iraqi said that the wall chalking was
done around 10:30 pm Sunday. “I ordered the erasing of the offensive
writings and suspended the night shift in charge Havaldar Rustam of the
KU Security for his negligence. Monday passed peacefully, and Tuesday
was a holiday. Student Adviser Dr Tanweer Khalid tried to talk to the
students from 8:30 am but the students evaded her,” he said. “I spoke to
Col Shahid, Wing Commander at KU and he informed me that he had his
force ready to take action if the situation deteriorates.”
Dr Iraqi said that the students met the vice chancellor at 4 pm. Dr
Tanweer Khalid was also present in the meeting. The VC assured the
students that action would be taken against the perpetrators of the
crime and the students went away, satisfied. The VC has constituted a
three-member committee, consisting Dr Rafeeq Alam Khan, Dr Zahida
Maqsood and Dr Baqir Naqvi, to investigate and report to him within one
week.
Dr Moonis Ahmar, Chairman of the Department of International Relations (IR)
expressed dismay over the incident that exposed the fragility of the
university security set up and the failure of the university writ. He
said that he was to conduct an examination for the BS Third Year
students when some rowdy students came and asked that the examination
should not be conducted. There was no security and he called the Rangers
and four of them came but returned saying they were ‘outnumbered’ by the
marauding students. “I tried to conduct the examinations, distributed
answer scripts and question papers to the students but more ISO
activists turned up, about 25 to 30 in number and harassed the
examinees, majority of them females. We had no other option but to
cancel the examinations. I have written to the VC about the incident. It
is pathetic. The university has crumbled,” he said dejectedly. |
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