ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Balighur Rehman has offered the protesting faculty of Quaid-i- Azam University (QAU) to join him in a meeting today (Tuesday) so that their demands can be reviewed and a possible solution to their longstanding issues can be met. According to the ministry sources, Balighur Rehman decided to hold this meeting when the faculty refused to accept other options but to see a resignation from the university’s vice chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf. Earlier, the minister had assigned the joint education advisor of the ministry, Rafique Tahir, to review the demands of the protesting faculty members. However, the sources revealed, when Rafique Tahir met with the protesters, they presented their sole demand that was the removal of the VC. The QAU has over 20 departments and a large number of faculty members are working in them. Without any group distinction, almost 200 faculty members were seen gathering outside the university’s premises daily for more than two weeks now. They held placards with slogans that read, “Save QAU from hooliganism, corruption, and incompetency,” and also one that said, “Go VC Go.” The protestors said that the faculty of QAU deeply resented the nepotistic and botched policies of Dr Javed Ashraf. “We are also disgruntled over the deteriorating law and order situation in the campus and feel the apparent environment of the campus is hostile and not conducive to work with a peace of mind,” they maintained. The protestors resolved on Monday to take the movement to task regarding holding a press conference against QAU administration. They also pledged to draw the attention of the authorities including the Higher Education Commission, Federal Education Ministry, and the president/chancellor office to address their miseries. They threatened to march towards the Parliament House if their demands were not accepted. They alleged that the bad security mechanism was due to the complete inability of administration which never addressed this issue seriously and on priority basis. The faculty reiterated their sole demand of VC’s resignation and appealed to the authorities to save the institution from downfall. It is pertinent to mention that QAU is regarded as one of the best universities of Pakistan. Published in Daily Times, February 20th 2018.