KARACHI, Sept 10: The Karachi University Teachers Society reiterated on Tuesday its demand for the removal of the vice chancellor.

At its general body meeting held on Tuesday, the KUTS ruled out any dialogue with the sitting VC, Dr Zafar Saieed Saify.

It demanded action against the administrative officials, responsible for creating an unrest on the campus.

The KUTS resolved that no person from outside the university would be acceptable to it as new VC.

“We want the new VC from within the university teachers and any armed forces personnel or retired technocrats would not be acceptable to them at any cost”, the KUTS resolved.

The KUTS also unanimously demanded the release of students arrested at the behest of the administration.

It also demanded that a high-level committee be constituted to investigate the charges against the VC and other officials responsible for creating unrest among faculty members, students and non-teaching staff of the university.

The protesting teachers also decided that they would not take part in teaching activities after 10.30 am daily till the acceptance of their demands. The general body would also be held daily near the arts faculty auditorium.

The teachers’ campaign against the administration strengthened further on Tuesday with the participation of a number of new faces, including deans, chairpersons and directors of institutes in the Tuesday’s meeting.

The meeting was presided over by KUTS vice president, Dr Reaz Ahmad, who, in his speech lauded the students and non-teaching staff of the university for their support.

Dr Reaz said the chancellor of the university was not taking any action against the VC as the VC was “acting as a puppet”.

Dr Reaz further said when the VC was apprised about harsh and undue actions and orders against teachers, issued by the administration, he expressed his ignorance about such developments and it shows how helpless he was.

Dr Abid Azhar said the vice chancellor was trying to contact teachers through different channels, but teachers would not tolerate him as VC and he should quit office.

Dr Abdul Qadeer said Sept 7 incident on the campus was highly deplorable as even a senior female teacher was not spared by rangers and was given a rough hand. Those who made the rangers to use forces against teachers and students are not eligible to run the university and as such they do not reserve any support or sympathy.

S. Taha, Prof Raeesuddin, Nasiruddin, Sarwar Nasim, Ishaq Mansoor, and Prof Shafique also spoke. They criticised the administration and maintained that KUTS would not enter into any dialogue with the siting VC at any cost.

At the end of the meeting, teachers staged a brief demonstration.

Meanwhile, some 38 faculty members of Karachi University in a joint statement have deplored the September 7 incident on the campus.

They said they do not expect such an approach at the biggest university of the country because students and the teachers were the builders and an assets of the nation, adds APP.

The faculty members said that such incidents are neither in the interest of the university nor of the students and teachers.

They said that they desire that the differences be resolved through dialogue and reconciliation and the academic and research atmosphere at the university be restored at the earliest.

The faculty members hoped that the teachers, students and the administration would resolve all issues through negotiations and the sanctity of the university would be restored and teaching would resume soon.