KARACHI: VC, KUTS summoned to resolve KU issues: Chancellor’s office intervenes
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, Sept 10: The teachers and vice chancellor of Karachi University were finally summoned to the Governor’s House to resolve the differences between the faculty members and the university administration.
The chancellor’s office intervened after a three-day protest by the teachers and students against the KU administration which paralysed the academic life on the campus.
The representatives of teachers who held a meeting with the high-ups at the Sindh Governor House were, however, not satisfied with the assurances from the government side.
The members of the Karachi University Teachers’ Society team, who visited the Governor House, remained tight-lipped about the proceedings.
One of the office-bearers of the KUTS said that the scheduled general body meeting of the society would be held on Thursday with the resolve that the sitting VC should quit immediately.
The meeting between the Principal Secretary of the Governor, Brig Akhtar Zamin, and members of KUTS was held, on the request of City Nazim Naimatullah Khan to the Governor, official sources said.
The meeting was informed that the governor’s secretariat was keen to sort out the differences, but there could be no talks on the status of Dr Zafar Saied Saify, sources said.
Teachers were first informed in the morning that Brig Zamin wanted to have talk with only one or two of the top office-bearers of the KUTS, which was disapproved by the teachers.
At 3.30 pm, teachers were again invited to the Governor’s House in a group of five and only then teachers proceeded to the Governor’s House for a meeting.
The vice-chancellor was also asked to reach the Governor’s House for a meeting.
The VC reached the Governor’s House with a senior teacher, Dr Fahimuddin, who happened to be the president of the KUTS and had not been attending the protest meetings on the pretext of his sickness.
However, according to sources, a joint meeting between teachers and the VC could not be held as the former refused to sit with the VC. Thus Brig Zamin held separate meetings with the VC and the teachers.
Sources said the brigadier was apprised about teachers grievances and reasons behind the prevailing unrest on the campus.
Arguments and assurances were made from both sides, but no concrete decisions could be reached, said a source.
Teachers were asssured that the decisions taken during the last few months, particularly those regarding the non-teaching employees and their termination, would either be withdrawn or reexamined by a committee to be constituted by the KU syndicate.
With reference to the forced retirement of Prof Pervaiz Siddiqui, the teachers were assured that the orders would be withdrawn and any further enquiry or action would be held purely in the light of existing university code.
Brig Zamin agreed, in principle, that the VC should review the role of some of the administrative officials, including the registrar and two deputy registrars, and that the VC should take remedial measures in this regard.
A governor’s nominee in the varsity syndicate, Naseer Turabi, was also discussed and it was agreed that he should be stopped from interfering in the affairs of the university.
University teachers who met Brig Zamin on Saturday, included KUTS secretary Sarwar Nasim, vice president Riaz Ahmad, Prof Suhail Barkati, Dr Abdul Qadeer and Dr Rafique Alam. Dr Faheemuddin, who had come along with VC, and additional secretary Major (Retd) S Lodhi also sat in the meeting.
The teachers, called for the removal of the vice chancellor Dr Zafar Saify repeatedly, but were informed by the government officials that it was beyond their purview and such demands could only be considered by the governor or the chancellor.
The meeting remained inconclusive as the KU teachers remained critical of the VC and his alleged illegal actions, added the sources.
However, it could not be known whether the VC had been communicated of the desired actions minutized in the meeting or not.
The teachers made it clear to the brigadier that if the the details of the meeting and the demand for the removal of the VC was not placed before the competent authority, situation on the campus would remain unpredictable in the days to come.
Meanwhile, a member of the KUTS said a delegation of the KUTS was leaving for universities in Sindh on Wednesday in connection with their protest campaign.
Teachers in Sindh universities have already been expressing their concern over the action against teachers and students on Sept 7, added the office-bearer.
