KARACHI, May 21: A clash of personalities at a science department of the University of Karachi has finally resulted in the closure of a computer laboratory, established only a year back at a cost of one million rupees, campus sources said.

While because of dismantling of the seminar-library-cum computer laboratory at the Microbiology Department of the university, students have been deprived of a significant facility, it is also likely that the examination transcripts and other records of hundreds of students, including 80 participants of a ten-week certificate course on medical transcription, will be lost or distorted. No proper measures were taken to ensure the safety of computers and other equipment, added the sources.

Interviews with the concerned quarters revealed that there was a considerable disharmony between the faculty members of the department, which could continue if the authorities failed to act timely.

The hierarchies have been failing to get their writ established only as in some cases they resort to maintain dual standards, observed a senior university teacher.

It was learnt that after official correspondence and due approval of the authorities, including the vice-chancellor, dean of the science faculty and the chairperson of the department, a computer laboratory with 23 computers was established as part of the seminar library at the Microbiology Department about ten months back.

The purpose was to use the computers solely for teaching purposes and to provide the faculty and the students with Internet access.

In addition, the incharge of the lab was allowed to run a certificate course in medical transcription in order to provide specialized training to the university students and medical professionals from outside the university in the evening.

So far two batches of over 80 persons each have been given training and tested for award of the certificates. However, the second batch of the students is still awaiting their results, while the course incharge is unable to prepare the results since the computers and other accessories have been removed from the seminar without any prior approval.

It is likely that MSc final-year students would also have to suffer due to mishandling of the computers. Some of the computers have been given to teachers while others are stored somewhere else.

The sources said that a serious disagreement between the lab incharge Dr Nusrat Jamil and the newly-appointed chairperson of the department Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi over the running of the computer lab at the seminar of the department was reported to the authorities only a month back.

The disagreement turned into a well-noticed dispute as the two senior teachers tried to get the physical possession of the lab site and did not refrain from putting on their locks as well. The matter was reported to the vice-chancellor, while the dean of science had also convened a meeting on the issue.

However, the sources maintained that the chairperson, who was against the existence of the lab at the seminar library, did not wait for any outcome of the deans’ meeting, scheduled for May 13, and managed her entry in the lab and finally removed the computers.

Dr Nusrat says that when she entered the department on May 8, she found that the computer lab was forcefully opened by Dr Shahana, while the store-keeper was taking an inventory of the computers. “Every thing was being done without taking me into confidence and in a hush manner, which left no action but to take away the stock register from the stock-keeper and I rushed to the dean to know whether he had given any such permission or not,” she added.

She observed that the lab was demolished at the whim of a single person or a group of persons, which was highly unjustified and amounted to squandering away the university’s precious resources.

She maintained that she had already recovered half of the amount spent on computers, furnitures, renovation of seminar and networking in the shape of incomes from medical transcription course.

It was further learnt that after the dismantling of the lab, the dean of science also held a meeting with the faculty members of the department and recommended to the vice-chancellor that medical transcription laboratory should be restored in a separate place within the department.

Prof Dr Ronaq Raza Naqvi told this reporter that he was trying for a patch up between the two senior teachers. “I have also asked that 23 computers of the lab should be given in my custody, while stock register should also be handed over to me.”

To a question, he said that he understood that dismantling of the lab by the chairperson without his approval was a clear example of unilateral and hasty action. On the other hand taking the possession of stock register by force by Dr Nusrat was also not appropriate, he added, and informed that he was trying to get the laboratory, seminar library restored separately.

It was learnt that despite the passage of about ten days no progress was observed on the recommendations of the deans, while enormous pressure was on Dr Nusrat from the medical transcription course participants for their results.

Source said that Dr Shahana was annoyed when Dr Nusrat did not hand over the charge of the lab to a teacher nominated by her. Dr Nusrat was of the view that since she was entrusted with the job by the higher authorities of the university on the recommendations of the department’s faculty, it was not appropriate to ask her summarily to leave the task without fulfilling the due requisite.

Dr Shahana said that what she had done was in line with her objective to get the seminar library retrieved. She alleged that Dr Nusrat had been bypassing her, and there was no writ of any authority.

Independent sources said that dismantling of the computer lab without suggesting a new place for its shifting was undue. Senior members of the faculty should act responsibly as they are role models for their younger counterparts.