KARACHI, July 15: The administration of the University of Karachi is planning to establish a new armed security force to counter threats of protest and violence by teachers, officers, employees associations and students.

The force will be controlled and headed by the university officials and it will be equipped with firearms and short-range communication apparatus in addition to four-wheelers and motorbikes for patrolling.

Sources close to the KU vice-chancellor said on Monday that the step had been discussed with provincial administration and the university has been offered to recruit ex-soldiers and cops, who would also be trained by paramilitary force about maintenance of law and order on the campus.

For this purpose, the university has started purchasing equipment, including short-range communication apparatus and vehicles.

First in the series are seven sets of walkie-talkies worth Rs0.168 million for which KU has already made down payments to a party.

The sources said the formation of an independent and indigenous security force for the university would consequently help minimize role of the Rangers in the university affairs, which are already critical of limited powers and interference by the university administration into their affairs.

After opening a multi-prong front against all stakeholders, the high-ups of the KU have not only conceived the idea of a pet-force, but have also managed to get it approved from the provincial authorities, bypassing the syndicate in the process, the sources added.

At present, the university administration is relying on the help of the Rangers deployed in the varsity and sometimes on the police to implement its orders, including evicting some unwanted officers and employees from houses in the staff town, to disperse enraged employees and students, besides controlling entry of unwanted people.

During the past few weeks, the KU administration has repeatedly sought help of the Rangers against its own employees and other “unwanted” officials, and now its potential target would be “miscreants disguised as students”, who have always proved to be a headache for the successive administrations.

The sources maintained that the step of formation of a new security department was part of a campaign under which the KU has been issuing show-cause notices and warning letters to teachers, employees and students, suspending and forcing them to accept forced retirement.—PPI