KARACHI, Sept 9: The vice chancellor of the University of Karachi, Dr Zafar Saied Saify, on Monday denied that he or any of his administrative colleagues had ordered the use of force against teachers and students on Saturday.
“We did not order any such action, but it is likely that rangers might have resorted to baton-charge on their own seeing any danger”, he said, adding he was against any sort of violence against students or teachers.
The VC was speaking at a press briefing in his office and referred to the Saturday’s brawl in which about three dozen teachers and students were injured.
The VC said there were some elements who did not want to see peace on the campus.
He, however, rejected the demand by some quarters that he should quit the job after Saturday’s incident.
“I am here to stay till the pleasure of my appointing authority”, he said, adding teachers and students had nothing to with his appointment and they should not make such a demand.
He deplored the attempts of exploiting the situation allegedly by some teachers and warned the teachers to concentrate on academic activities, instead of indulging in non-academic and non-productive issues.
Senior officials of the rangers, who visited the campus on Sunday, had also constituted a committee on the issue of baton-charge on teachers and students.
However, in the meantime, we have set up an enquiry committee, comprising deans of faculties, to hear the point of view of students, teachers and rangers. The committee would furnish its report within three days, the VC said.
He said a committee had also been constituted to examine the injuries caused to students and teachers on Saturday, so that any cash compensation, if necessary, could be given to students and teachers.
To a question, he said he had already ordered the students adviser to move the authorities for a withdrawal of cases against two students, who were picked up on Friday night and sent to judicial custody.
He further said that students were like his children to him and he was ready to forgive them for their unintentional mistakes.
He said he had been discharging his duties independently and apprehensions that he was being dictated by some political quarters were baseless.
He said as far as he was on the campus, teachers and others would have to negotiate and discuss problems with him.
“They should contact me regarding their problems so that those could be addressed properly”, he added and maintained that teachers were as colleague to him.
“If they turn up cordial and constructive, I am ready to withdraw FIRs and other notices against them and students as well”, he added.
Later, the vice chancellor visited the secretary of the Karachi University Teachers’ Society, Sarwar Nasim, who was beaten up, with other teachers and students by rangers on Saturday.
The VC expressed his sympathies with Sarwar Nasim and informed him that a high-level probe committee had been set up on the sad incident of Saturday.
KARACHI, Sept 9: The vice chancellor of the University of Karachi, Dr Zafar Saied Saify, on Monday denied that he or any of his administrative colleagues had ordered the use of force against teachers and students on Saturday.
