KARACHI: Karachi varsity teachers end protest drive
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 26: Teachers at the University of Karachi on Saturday decided to resume academic and administrative duties, including examination duties, from Nov 28.
The decision was reached at a general body meeting of the Karachi University Teachers’ Society (KUTS), with its President Prof Suhail Barkati, in the chair. The meeting considered the measures taken by the KU administration in the case of manhandling of a teacher of the geology department and expressed satisfaction over the order of rustication of a student for two years.
According to a spokesman for the KUTS, teachers termed the disciplinary measures taken on Nov 25 by Vice-Chancellor Dr Pirzada Qasim on the recommendations of the KU discipline committee as historic and success of the teaching fraternity.
While declaring that the protest campaign launched on Nov 21 had been called off, the spokesman said that the aptitude test for the admissions to BBA and MBA classes, which were scheduled to be held on Nov 27 would now be held as per the schedule, while the semester exams would also be conducted from Nov 28.
At the meeting the KUTS Secretary Sarwar Nasim said that the disciplinary actions taken by the vice-chancellor had given a clear message to the society that violence against teachers would not be tolerated. Prof Nasiruddin Khan and Prof Mohammad Ahmad Qadri also spoke at the meeting.
In the meantime, Prof Majidullah Qadri of the petroleum technology department valued the decision and said that it was for the first time after 1987 that a student was rusticated for two years from the university.
SM COLLEGE: Teaching activities at the S.M. Arts and Commerce College could not take place as the faculty members observed a strike to register their protest against manhandling of a teacher by unknown people on Friday.
Teachers put off academic activities and held a meeting to condemn the incident and express solidarity with Afzal Bukhari, a teacher of Urdu, at the college in the morning shift.
About the possibility to continue the strike on Monday, a couple of teachers, including Adeel Ahmed and Afzal Bukhari, who were available at the college on Saturday afternoon said that any decision would be taken in this regard on Sunday after reviewing the developments, if any.
The teachers said that Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui and police officials had given assurance that those involved in the beating up of Afzal Bukhari would certainly be brought to book.
At the meeting, which was also attended by the representatives of the Sindh Teachers’ Forum, it was resolved that the offenders who subjected Mr Bukhari to torture on his way to home be arrested immediately, student organizations breaching academic peace should be banned and practical measures be taken for the protection of the teachers in the city.
