April 12, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 5, 1429

KARACHI, April 11: Academic activities at the University of Karachi resumed on Friday with Rangers along with personnel of the police force deployed at all the three entry points of the varsity.

Classes at the KU resumed after around four days and no unpleasant incident was reported. The campus adviser, Dr Khalid Iraqi, said that the security personnel had been deployed to maintain peace on the campus.

However, apart from the Rangers and police, KU’s security staff have been assigned the task of checking students’ identity before allowing them entrance to the campus.

A Rangers’ mobile and two to three policemen have been deployed at all the three gates of the KU besides a police picket set up at the Silver Jubilee Gate.

Dr Iraqi said that the deployment of the Rangers and police at the entry points was a result of the April 9 incident and in line with the directives issued by the provincial government.

Interestingly, neither the Rangers nor the university administration confirms that reports that the Rangers personnel have resumed on campus duty. However, a source at the KU revealed that the Rangers had received a letter from the provincial government directing them to intervene in case of a clash or law and order situation on the campus.

The Karachi University Teachers’ Society (KUTS) maintained its prior demand for alternative security measures at meeting held on Friday.

A KUTS spokesman said: “We are against the permanent stay of the Rangers at the educational institution.”