KHAIRPUR: The Shah Abdul Latif University Teachers’ Association (SALUTA) on Monday organised a seminar entitled ‘Corruption: A cancer for universities’ in collaboration with Writers’ Forum at Nizamani Labour Hall in Larkana. In his address on the occasion, SALUTA President Prof Dr Ameer Ali Chandio criticised the menace of corruption in the university, and revealed that every individual, who is directly or indirectly associated with SALU, has witnessed misconduct and poor performance of administration. He called it a worst example of bad governance that indicates maladministration. Junaid Dhar, a social activist, urged the government to establish a fact-finding mission for investigation into fresh allegations of corruption and malpractices committed by the universities of Sindh. He further proposed to strengthen forums of universities including Syndicate, Senate etc that can determine solutions of problems in a specified time. Meanwhile, Dr Inayat Mangsi said that the university authorities need to establish an analysis centre that would monitor complaints against the administrative staff while all stakeholders should play an active role to eradicate roots of corruption in the universities. Khalid Chandio, a social activist, highlighted freedom of expression as a fundamental right that protects individuals’ rights in the era of social media and digital technology. The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) President Syed Asghar Ali shah denounced the inappropriate behaviour of vice-chancellors in many meetings of forums. “Instead, they should have played a constructive role in a fight against nepotism, favouritism and corruption in the universities,” he added. The speakers demanded the caretaker government of Sindh and the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to take notice of the issue and resolve it on priority basis. Nisar Khokhar, a senior journalist, expressed ‘disappointment’ over the current situation and revealed that administrations of universities are held hostage by the politicians, who have been appointing incompetent and corrupt people as heads of the institutions. “They consider the institutions as their private property,” he added. Representatives of civil society organisations, writers, journalists and notables participated in the seminar. Published in Daily Times, June 5th 2018.