The students of Sargodha University held a sit in over the issue of their degrees at the Canal Road Underpass on Tuesday.
Carrying placards and banners, the students also burnt tyres by blocking the Canal Road until evening. The blockage also caused a massive traffic jam on Canal Road and its surrounding roads.
Speaking on the occasion, the students were of the opinion that they were not awarded degrees even after all their dues were cleared. They said that they cannot avail jobs or get admission for further studies until they will be given degrees.
They said that they will continue the protest until Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar will take notice of their protest. Students said that Sargodha University has to clear the dues of its main campus which was the reason behind delay in degree issuance.
The students did not provide passage way to the convoy of Pakistan Army. The convoy later changed their route after students refused to let them pass.
The traffic remained jammed for several hours at Canal Road, The Mall, Ferozpur Road, Jail Road, Shadman Chowk, Punjab University Road, Kalma Chowk Underpass, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Davis Road, Molana Shaukat Ali Road, Karim Block and many other adjourning roads.
When contacted, SU spokesperson told Daily Times that the university has initiated the process of issuing result cards, transcripts and degrees of the registered students of four sub campuses which had settled their financial matters and reconciled all the data with the university.
He said that students studying at the campuses in Faisalabad, Lyallpur, Gujranwala and Mandi Bahauddin will be issued degrees.
Since the case of the Lahore campus is sub-judice, the syndicate had decided to withhold issuing transcripts until an official ruling.
Four of the sub campuses have paid back the principal amounts and have reconciled matters with the university’s administration. On the other hand, the Lahore sub campus has approached the Lahore High Court, he added.
Published in Daily Times, September 26th 2018.