KARACHI, Sept 22: The two colleges of medical training run by the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, which were closed after two incidents of violence on the hospital premises about a month ago, are unlikely to reopen for students in the near future, say hospital sources.
A senior official said on Saturday that although the overall security situation at the hospital had improved, the JPMC authorities did not find the atmosphere conducive to teaching activities at the College of Physiotherapy and the College of Medical Technology, which have hundreds of students on their rolls.
During the period from Aug 15 to Aug 25, the JPMC experienced repeated occurrences of student groups’ clashes, which claimed lives of two students and caused injuries to many more, forcing the suspension of medical admissions and outpatient departments at the hospital for about a week.
The Rangers were deployed at the JPMC on a permanent basis after a clash on Aug 25. The students who were killed on two different days belonged to the physiotherapy college.
Earlier, the hospital administration had planned to open the two colleges on Sept 15, but the student clashes at some other institutions during the last two weeks, shattered the idea, said another source.
Although the Rangers have helped improve the law and order situation at the JPMC, faculty members fear that the reopening of the colleges may vitiate the atmosphere.
When contacted, the executive director of the JPMC, Prof Rashid Jooma, said teaching at the two colleges might resume after Ramazan.
