HYDERABAD, Jan 29: The teachers of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, on Wednesday observed a protest day against the Model University Ordinance (MUO).

The protest day was observed on the call of the Federation of All Pakistan Academic Staff Association.

The teachers took out a protest demonstration from the administration block, which terminated at the teachers’ common room.

Addressing the rally, the president, Mehran University Teachers Association, Prof Mushtaq Mirani, its former president, Prof Nazim Shaikh, and its general secretary, Inam Bhatti, stressed the need for unity among the university teachers with a view to launching a joint struggle against the university ordinance.

They made it clear that under no circumstance would the teaching community accept the university ordinance.

They said that through the Model University Ordinance, the government wanted to deprive the poor students of their right to higher education, and added that under dictation from the IMF and the World Bank, the government was depriving its own people of their fundamental rights.

They said when a democratic government was already in place, there was no need to issue such ordinances.

The office bearers of the Federation of the All Pakistan Academic Staff Association said that if the government was really sincere in improving the standard of education, then it could bring about amendments in the existing University Act after taking the teachers and people into confidence.

They called upon the legislators to raise their voice against the Model University Ordinance and demanded that six per cent of the budget should be allocated for education and more funds should be made available for the research programme.

HRCP: A large number of activists of the National Commission for Justice and Peace, HRCP, Sindh Development Society, National Alliance for Joint Electorate, Muslim-Maseeh Rabita Commission, Liberal Forum, and other organizations held a demonstration outside the press club on Wednesday in protest against the impending attack on Iraq by US.