KARACHI: Teachers, students reject task force report
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Aug 6: Teaching, non-teaching staff and students at the University of Karachi on Tuesday brought out a rally to denounce the proposed reforms on higher education and against the ongoing administrative campaign on the campus.
The rally, which was preceded by a joint meeting of students and university employees, was impressive, particularly in a situation when the KU administration has already taken preemptive measures on the campus, said a senior teacher.
With special reference to some administrative measures, which are considered as acts of harassment, victimisation and vilification by students and teachers as well as the non-teaching employees, the rally gave a 48-hour time to the KU authorities to withdraw all the show-cause notices, termination letters and FIRs against the employees and students, otherwise, they said, the students and staff would evolve a joint strategy.
As an immediate reaction, vice-chancellor Dr Zafar Saiyed Saify told newsmen at his office that he understood that the show by teachers and students and employees was against the task force on higher education. He, however, mentioned that if teachers and others had any grievances or felt that they were being harassed by the administration, then “they can come to me and apprise me of their problems as I am one of their colleagues as well.”
Wearing black arm-bands, a large number of students, teachers and non-teaching employees gathered near the arts auditorium at around 11.30am to express their anger over the government’s plan to implement the recommendations of the task force.
The meeting was of the view that democratic rights of the academia were being undermined and actions against employees, which included issuance of termination letters, were being taken in a summarily manner without fulfilling the statutory obligations.
Before going out for the protest walk within the campus, the meeting called for unity in action by teachers, students and non- teaching staff of the university. It was said that if measures were not taken to mitigate the crisis in the campus then demands would be made for the removal of the vice-chancellor as well.
The teachers, students and other staff marched peacefully through the corridors of different departments and faculties for about an hour. They were carrying placards inscribed with slogans such as: no to harassment, no to task force, walk against anti-education policies.
A good number of female teachers and students were also present.
Before dispersing near the administration block, which was highly guarded by varsity watch-and-ward-staff and the Rangers, the rally staged a token sit-in.
The secretary of Karachi University Teachers’ Society, (KUTS) Sarwar Nasim, asked the university administration to realize the force of students and teachers and employees and eliminate the elements, who caused harassment and were involved in the victimization of university staff.
He said the vice-chancellor should immediately remove the registrar and two deputy-registrars. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the alleged abuse of power and human rights violations on the campus. Other speakers, including KU employees association’s secretary, Jalees Ahmed Kazi, a leader of students’ alliance, Osama bin Shafiq, Dr Riaz Ahmed, Dr Shahid Qureshi, maintained that certain administrative officials were initiating undue actions on the pretext of Civil Servant Act.
Later, at a press conference the leaders of the teaching and non-teaching staff and students maintained that they did not want any confrontation with the university administration nor were in favour of breach of academic discipline and that’s why the teachers attended the meeting and took part in the rally after taking their routine classes.
They said it did not look appropriate that the university administration got itself involved in a vilification campaign against teachers and other staff. They are even not refraining from making wrong interpretation of superior courts’ orders. They added that holding peaceful demonstration was their constitutional right and they would continue doing so unless their demands were met.
To a question, they said most of the allegations against the staff were unfounded, while on the other hand a huge amount was being spent on the course of litigation against the teachers and the staff. Efforts are also being made to either invite the chancellor of the university to the campus or hold a meeting with him at the Governor’s House to apprise him of the administrative excesses, a student leader said.
Earlier, talking to newsmen, KU vice-chancellor said he did not think that any uncalled for or unjust action had been taken against anyone on the campus. “I am here to ensure teaching and research activities of a higher quality in order to get my university top-ranked,” he said, adding that there was no room for dishonest and cheats on the campus.
He said that a very limited number of staff had been complaining about harassment by the administration. “All such quarters should either come to me and talk on their genuine problems or approach a court of law,” he added.
SOLIDARITY DAY: Meanwhile, members and supporters of the Sindh Professors and Lecturers’ Association (SPLA) on Tuesday observed a black day in colleges to express their solidarity with the KUTS in its struggle against the implementations of the task force proposals. The teachers wore black arm-bands and held meetings, demanding withdrawal of policies pertaining to denationalization of educational institutions, stoppage of any implementation on the task force recommendations, immediate clearance of pending cases of promotions and move-overs of college teachers.
