Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of students of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on Tuesday staged a protest against fee hike, lack of facilities and some other administrative problems in the university.

At the mid of the day hundreds of students from the male campus gathered in front of academic blocks and held a rally towards administrative block chanting slogans for provision of their rights in the university.

“Give us our rights” protesters sloganeered during rally and protest. Because of protest the academic activities remained suspended in male campus.

The protest was dominated by Islami Jamait Tulba (IJT) representation, an Islamist student’s organization which has a stronghold in the university student politics. In their demands students asked to reduce the fee in around 15 bachelors/master level programs bringing them down to other public sector universities of the country.

The students demanded of the International Islamic University Islamabad administration to start the construction of university mosque, new hostels, new cafeteria, academic blocks, parking shades, restoration of mess committee and management.

On the academic side, students expressed concerns on the negligence of university administration due to which Higher Education Commission (HEC) recommended for close down around 24 PhD academic programs of various disciplines.

Students also complained in their protest about the misbehavior of university security staff which monitors the entry and exit points of the university while, has closed one gate of the institution for security concerns.

Majid Ameer, a representative from protestors talking to the Daily Times said that university administration raised around 50 % fee as compared to last year which is unaffordable for students to pay.

“Degree program fee for LLB (05 years) in IIU is Rs 20400 while, Punjab University covers the same program in Rs 10750,” he claimed.

He also said that HEC has closed number of PhD programs in the university which has spread uncertainty in MPhill students who had planned to continue PhD program.

He also said that administration adopting discrimination behavior against senior students has also raised the hostel fee of MPhill/PhD students.

“Already students are not allotted rooms in hostels till 4th semester and now shortage of rooms has become a problem for students,” he said.

According to him university administration is well aware of room shortage in hostels but, is not interested to build new buildings.

He also accused university administration for taking university mosque fund but not utilizing it.

“Every student pays Rs 500 for mosque in the university but administration till now has not laid the foundation stone,” he alleged.

IIU Spokesperson Syed Hassan Aftab told this scribe that some senior officials of the university met with the protesting students and assured them for fulfilling the demands to possible extent.