Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Both students and the vice chancellor (VC) of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) on Monday held separate pressers and refused to come back with their decisions.

While addressing a press conference, students of the QAU said that they would not withdraw the protest until the acceptance of their demands. The students said that they would not let the administration open the varsity until their issues were resolved.

Moreover, they threatened that the strike might expand toward the Higher Education Commission (HEC) office, in front of parliament and the National Press Club (NPC), in case the authorities did not consider their demands.

They also demanded decreasing the current fee structure, saying that fees in public sector universities across the world were very less, while the QAU was the only varsity that charged heavy amounts. The students added that varsity dues such as hostel fee and bus fee were also very high as compare to other universities of the county.

A student said that the per semester fee for general courses on merit in Punjab University was not more than Rs 23,000, while the QAU receives Rs 50,000 for each semester. “It is sheer discrimination with the students,” he regretted. To a question, the student said the students were expelled on minor charges, and added that they should be reinstated immediately as it was a matter of their future.

The other main demands of the students are increasing the number of buses, abolishing ‘discrimination’ among various departments and improvement of facilities for students at the university. However, sources said that the real demand of the protesters was the immediate reinstatement of all the expelled students. On the other hand, Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf refused to consider the main demand of the students. While speaking at an urgent presser at his residence, Dr Ashraf said that the QAU was ready to consider all demands of students except reinstatement of rusticated students.

“To restore and relax other imposed punishments on these students is not a prerogative of mine. Only the Syndicate can do so,” the VC claimed. Interestingly, Dr Ashraf admitted that the expelled students were still residing in the university’s hostels. As per the available documents, around 10 students were expelled by the University Disciplinary Committee (UDC). They were found guilty in an inquiry conducted by the committee.

In January, a clash had occurred between the students of two councils: the Pashtoon Council (PC) and Saraiki Council (SC), residing in the university’s hostels. The documents revealed that the UDC had investigated 25 students for disturbing the university’s peace.

The UDC held a number of meetings and then forwarded the recommendations to Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf for expulsion of some students, while fine was imposed on several others. The VC then approved the recommendation.

Moreover, Federal Education Minster Balighur Rehman, who is pro-vice chancellor of the university, told the media after a ceremony that the government would use force if the students did not refrain from holding strikes.

The current situation at the campus is very confusing. The students are not ready to withdraw and the administration is also stuck with its definite decision. There has been no academic activity at the university during the past nine days.

On the other hand, as per the sources, the Academic Staff Association (ASA) ahs also threatened the administration of holding a separate protest if the punished students were given relaxation in any respect. They are also making a strategy against the students involved in the current strike.

Published in Daily Times, October 12^th 2017.