April 08, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 1, 1429

KARACHI, April 7: The Sindh government has constituted a committee to probe into the incident of manhandling of a faculty member of the University of Karachi by Rangers personnel on the campus.

The body to be headed by the Sindh home secretary will comprise DIG Police (Operations) East Karachi Salman Syed, Deputy Director-General Rangers Karachi Brig Mohammad Latif, KU Registrar Mohammad Rais Alvi and Karachi University Teachers’ Society General Secretary Dr Abid Hasnain, says a notification issued here on Monday.

The committee has been directed to complete its investigation into causes of the incident and to fix responsibility and submit its reports within three days.

The chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dr Attaur Rehman, also contacted the KU vice-chancellor, Dr Pirzada Qasim, and inquired about the incident.

When asked if the performance of the committee formed by the government would be satisfactory, the HEC chairman said: “Yes, that is good enough. What we expect from the university administration is to take appropriate action later on.”

However, he did not make any comment on the overall situation saying that any comment in this regard would be appropriate only after the submission of a report by the fact-finding committee.

He stressed the need for an independent inquiry as the University of Karachi was an autonomous body.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) chief also offered to extend all-out assistance to the KU in this regard.

Condemning the incident, he said that teaching was one of the highly respected professions in the world and therefore teachers must not be treated in such a manner.

No classes today

Keeping in view the recent incidents, the KU vice-chancellor in a meeting with deans of various faculties and advisers has decided to suspend academic activities at the KU on Tuesday as well.

However, offices at the KU will remain open.

The meeting had been called to review the recent law and order situation after a clash between two students’ groups on April 5.

SHO asked to register FIR

The additional district and sessions judge, East, Abdul Rahman Bhatti, on Monday directed the Station House Officer of Mobina Town police station to register an FIR on the complaint of Dr Riaz Ahmed in accordance with the law.

Dr Raiz Ahmed, an associate professor at the Applied Chemistry Department, Karachi University, was reportedly manhandled and beaten up by Rangers personnel on the premises of the university on March 31.

He, through his counsel, had submitted an application under Section 22-A of the Criminal Procedure Code requesting the court to direct the relevant police station to register a case against the Rangers’ personnel.

Degree classes

The University of Karachi has extended the date for admissions to the first and second years of BA (pass), BSc (pass) and BCom classes up to April 19 with a late fee of Rs1,000.

However, according to the KU Registrar, Prof Mohammad Rais Alvi, the students seeking admissions to the degree classes at this stage will be required to complete the requisite attendance by the end of the current academic session under the university rules.

Principals of all the affiliated degree colleges have been requested to forward the admission lists to the registrar and pay orders of late fee in favour of the University of Karachi latest by April 24.

Besides, a list of the admissions should also be sent to the KU’s enrolment section.