KARACHI, Aug 2: Students of University of Karachi on Friday staged a sit-in on the campus on Friday against the setting up of a task force on higher education and what the students said “its anti-people and disastrous” recommendations to the government”.

Under a programme, the Students Alliance Against Task Force fixed banners on the campus condemning the government’s move.

The government claims that the measures proposed by the task force would improve the quality of higher education in the country while the alliance is of the view that if anti-people recommendations of the force were adopted by the government, these would prove disasterous for the entire educational system of the country.

However, peaceful students were taken aback when KU administration removed banners and resorted to strict measures. The students body said these measures were meant to harass students.

The KU students also staged a sit-in at the demonstration block, when they were denied a meeting with the VC. The students said they wanted to meet the VC to apprise him of the alleged biased attitude of some varsity officials.

In the meantime, the Students Alliance on Task Force announced that it would observe a ‘black day’ on Aug 6 on the campus. The body also demanded lifting of a ban on co-curricular activities by students, withdrawal of show-cause notices issued by the administration and removal of a deputy registrar immediately.

A KU press release here on Friday said that a group of about 25 students took out a protest rally against the KU Task Force. They visited different departments to boycott classes and tie black armbands, but the press release claimed that their attempts failed as classes continued as usual.

Later, the same group tried to meet the KU vice-chancellor as well as the registrar, but they were informed that their attitude amounts to contempt of court orders given in 1993, which banned political activities.

Further, at the time of admission, students were required to affirm that they would not participate in any political activities, nor create any law-and-order situation.