GILGIT, Oct 7: The Northern Areas administration on Monday banned the entry of over 32 protesting professors and lecturers of the Degree College Gilgit in Karakoram International University (KIU) which was recently established by annexing the assets of the college.

A senior official of the Northern Areas education department said this step was taken in the best interest of students and public at large.

But he did not disclose the name of “the competent authority” who had issued this fresh order despite an order of the prime minister in November 2002, banning the use of “the competent authority” in official notifications as it created ambiguity.

Meanwhile, Northern Areas Deputy Chief Executive Fida Muhammad Nashad after the NALC session held on Monday said the cabinet decisions regarding the status of the Degree College Gilgit were clear and an stern action would be taken against those found violating these decisions.

The Northern Areas Colleges Academic Staff Association claims that the KIU administration has captured the libraries, laboratories and staffrooms of the college by breaking locks and also evicted the college staff on Monday at the behest of KIU Vice-chancellor Dr Azam Khan.

The teachers’ body said the ban on the entry of professors and lecturers was a violation of their fundamental rights as they had not broken any law.

On the other hand, 200 teachers continued their boycott of classes on Monday badly affecting around 12 colleges and 5,000 students in the region. They vowed to continue their protest drive till meeting of their demands.

According to sources, the ban list included the names of Prof Manzoom Ali, Bashir Ahmed, Rehmat Ali, Ali Dad, Gulzaman, Shah Rais Khan, Jamshed Ali, Haji Ahmed, Anjum Ali, Abdul Wahid, Ghulam Abbas, Ataullah, Fazal Abbas, Ejaz Ahmed, Ishtiaque Ahmed, Farman Beek, Shahid Ali, Asgher Shah, Noor Ali, Ghulam Abbas, Sher Baz, Karim Bux, Ali Murad Khan, Fazal Karim, Ghulam Abbas (DPE), Manzoor Hussain, Said Yar, Muhammad Ali Jan, Owais Ahmed, Abdul Saboor, Mir Alam and Fida Hussain (lab assistant).