KU’s overreaction
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IT’S a brouhaha that really shouldn’t have been. Model Ayyan Ali, who is out on bail in a case of currency smuggling, was invited as chief guest to the inauguration of a student-owned fast food venture in August at the Karachi University.
Her visit, given her undertrial status, gave rise to much heated debate on social media over the propriety of the exercise.
The university responded by stating that the administration was unaware of the invitation extended to Ms Ali and issued show-cause notices to the two students concerned for taking the initiative without obtaining official approval.
Also read: KU cancels student's admission for inviting Ayyan Ali on campus
However, apparently after pressure was brought to bear from a student political group, the disciplinary committee looking into the matter decided to impose severe sanctions — that too without even giving a proper hearing to the students concerned.
On Monday, one of them was expelled; both have been barred from entering the campus or enrolling in an academic programme offered by the university.
It’s not often that Karachi University is in the news for controversies of this kind, one devoid of violence and warring student political groups.
One can question the wisdom of inviting Ms Ali to inaugurate the event, though perhaps at the cost of ignoring the golden rule of regarding a person innocent until proven guilty; particularly so when several other Pakistanis accused of far worse continue to be feted and accorded red-carpet treatment.
Even then, had the university administration believed that the students were at fault, its response is disproportionate to the ‘offence’: the show-cause notices followed by a strong reprimand should have been sufficient to make the point.
What message is the university sending by disrupting the education of young men guilty of little more than an error of judgement, if that, while students who engage in violence and strong-arm tactics on campus get away scot-free?
Moreover, if the administration was indeed in the dark about what must have been a high-profile event, then it too is partly to blame.
Published in Dawn, October 10th , 2015
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Comments (69) Closed
Oct 10, 2015 02:57am
A pathetic decision from people who are supposed to be educated and intelligent (I underline supposed).
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Oct 10, 2015 08:44am
committee should be formed to investigate
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Oct 10, 2015 09:00am
She is innocent unless proved guilty by the competent court. She is the citizen of the country and have equal rights like others. She can attend any function in any capacity. There is no bar on her to attend the University function. She is beautiful, charmful, attractive, so she can even become the Foreign Minister of the country.
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Oct 10, 2015 09:05am
A good decision by K U.
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Oct 10, 2015 09:22am
Good decision by KU
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Oct 10, 2015 09:30am
Over reaction, time to reverse the decision and have the student move forward in life
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Oct 10, 2015 09:34am
Has the Sindh CM 'taken notice'?
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Oct 10, 2015 09:40am
Million dollar question?
Why criminals need to be invited to seats of Higher learning?
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Oct 10, 2015 09:50am
To begin with, it was media which made it look big; although people who stole billions still walk around free. It was the media which broke the news of such innaguration as if it actually was a matter of public concern. Now that authorities have taken notice - rightly so - you still have problem with that? So where should i go with this editorial of yours?
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Oct 10, 2015 09:54am
Its no fault of students .They opened a fast food kisok in campus as part of Project and to make it sucessful they invited Ayan .What is there fault ,My simple question -- Is she crimnal , if Pakisatani courts cannot find her fault in 20 hearings then i think she is the most innocent lady in town (That is her legal position) so i think students invioted a simple model to make their venture sucessful and there is no fault in that .Students are being penalized for no fault of theirs .Please do justice !!!
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Oct 10, 2015 09:59am
Yes ! So she was called at the opening of foods venture of young students to lecture them how to avid tax !, do money laundering !, over run the law , and be innocent for ever until never proven guilty ! , in one of the Top Universities of country, and why to let go future of nations ethics, honesty and moral values , because there is always room for judgement of error !
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Oct 10, 2015 10:01am
I stand with the decision of the KU administration. Students of IBA did not find any othe respectable person in the society beside Ayan , a point to ponder. They must have acted on whimp of some political party to give a clean chit to Ms Ayan Ali. This is a disgrace on behalf of the students , the reflection of such behavior from educated class is showing where our society is heading to.
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Oct 10, 2015 10:03am
@Dr Siddiqui Dr sahab As per legal system she is not a crimnal , courts of this country could not find any fault in 20 hearings so how come we can call her crimnal . My dear thats the legal system either you accept it or else raise your voice loudly .
So that those in power can hear it !!
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Oct 10, 2015 10:14am
Hats off to the writer for using the mantra of "person innocent until proven guilty". Well Mr. Writer, in Pakistan you are always innocent if you rub shoulders with rich and powerful and even when you are caught red handed on video doing money laundering. Irony of our legal system is that despite clear evidences she is still not charged with the crime. So yea you are write she is innocent!
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Oct 10, 2015 10:27am
Its physically not possible to monitor each and every hall, where students can gather and listen to an unauthorised orator . The above argument will only spread ,uncalled for controversy. Any university in the civilised world would have expelled the students right away for violating the code of conduct.
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Oct 10, 2015 10:28am
Good Decision by KU. Disciplinary action must be taken.
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Oct 10, 2015 10:30am
Stupid decision by KU...
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Oct 10, 2015 10:30am
The students set a bad precedent by inviting a law-breaker as a guest of honour. This was a very faulty decision indeed.
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Oct 10, 2015 10:39am
Should we discuss this, when people are suffering for want of water, electricity, sewerage and so many problems. The urban intelligentsia should come out of their self set standards
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Oct 10, 2015 10:45am
It is interesting how the writer has termed it a simple act of "error of judgement". The high profile case surrounding her had been in the news for months, every one knew the offence and every one knows she might as well get away with it due technical loops holes in our judicial system and the best way for university student to act would have been to stay away from trouble.
Her visiting "Edhi Homes" can be termed her way of seeking forgiveness for her since, but visiting a Univ is clearly a publicity stunt that the student should have been aware of .
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Oct 10, 2015 10:55am
A thoughtless decision.
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Oct 10, 2015 11:09am
Very good decision by KU. Rangers should be asked how come they allowed this woman's armed personal body guards to enter the Campus?
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Oct 10, 2015 11:19am
The decision made by the KU was indeed pathetic and the administration over-reacted. They should have acted like educated people.
However, the students need to redefine their celebrities. Being related to the academia, they should have bigger dreams, above the glitters of showbiz.
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Oct 10, 2015 11:22am
@ Waseem Ashraf she is not considered innocent. She is just out on bail.
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Oct 10, 2015 11:36am
Well punishment is too harsh. Doors of a university should not be closed on students on minor follies like that even if it was a wrong act. Ayan is not a murderer or sectarian violence preacher. She is a beautiful young model speaking of love and peace.
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Oct 10, 2015 11:59am
Excellent Editorial Dawn. The university's reaction has certainly been extreme, sad to see extremism in academia as well. I am guessing that the student union must have been Jamiat/Jamat etc? The reason for anger against Ayan Ali is not because she was accused of money laundering, but the main reason is that how dare a beautiful and confident woman try to influence our youth. All this hullabaloo is because of misogynistic attitudes and extremist thinking in our society. I am sure many serious and worse criminals (accused) would be roaming around in the campus, why cant the university stop them?
I say shame on KU administration. They should restore the admissions of those students.
Secular Democratic Welfare State of Pakistan.
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Oct 10, 2015 12:01pm
Our educational institutions are controlled rather than been making rationale decision they are biased
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Oct 10, 2015 12:04pm
"Let the punishment fit the crime".
KU clearly over-reacted. It was partly the fault of the administration as well. I, and I am sure anyone who has ever done any seminar in KU, refuse to believe that the university had no idea what was going on at their campus. Random students can't just organize an event, and that too at the auditorium, without letting anyone know.
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Oct 10, 2015 12:09pm
Good Work KU. Why would an under trial criminal be invited as chief guest to a learning institute? Is this what you want to showcast to the youth? Is she going to be the role model for the girls?
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Oct 10, 2015 12:10pm
I see the culture of intolerance and self-righteousness being propagated by the KU administration. Students should be free to invite anyone they desire and should be allowed to make independent decisions and to make mistakes. Model Ayyan Ali has been accused but is not a convicted person in the court of law so it is wrong to declare her guilty of any offence until the court decision.
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Oct 10, 2015 12:10pm
Such, otherwise insignificant figures who continue to be in the news for no other reason -- except their antics and controversy they generated, is sickening!
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Oct 10, 2015 12:13pm
Absolutely devastated. Disciplinary action must not restrict an individual from his fundamental right of education. Pakistan is already suffering with brain drain and the student has created such an impact by inviting a famous model, not convicted yet.
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Oct 10, 2015 12:20pm
There seems to be some game behind all this.
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Oct 10, 2015 12:26pm
It was right decision by the university.
The instituations where moral values are teached should be prohibited with chracterless people.
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Oct 10, 2015 12:38pm
It was right decision by KU. We have to discourage such peoples in society rather inviting as guest in an institute.
Good decision KU. Thumbs up...
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Oct 10, 2015 12:48pm
This latest trend of instituitions bowing agianst the pressure of mob trend is not a healthy sign. It only shows that institutions are so incompetent that they can't defend their decisons because they dont play any active role in important decisions
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Oct 10, 2015 12:49pm
Good decision by KU and the media should not support otherwise...she is being charged in a case.
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Oct 10, 2015 02:56pm
I totally disagree with this. Having the capacity to make some arguments even when they are not justified in not a good practice, especially, from a newspaper like Dawn. It is not about the political group or denying the fact that there is no violence in KU, it is also not about how to treat a person before his/her decision in court, its about a person with no-so-good-repute among the public and when you bring that person for some inauguration, a sound mind will think why not somebody else with better public image and more elaborate to say why not a person not being involved in controversy like the one in which Mrs.Ayyan is involved
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Oct 10, 2015 03:23pm
if inviting a lady who's trial is ongoing in our court is called a crime in KU, then y do KU called our respected politicians in their campuses as a Chief guest? most of our politicians are facing number of cases in our Courts or they have won the seats in elections just because they claim that they spent a big portion of their lives in jail just for the sake of this Country.
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Oct 10, 2015 04:02pm
@ayub For many of us she will still be innocent even after proven guilty because she is a model and we are always entertained by so much of her.
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Oct 10, 2015 04:04pm
@Do or Die AGREED
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Oct 10, 2015 04:15pm
University administration is jut trying to portray how pious they are . Of course Ayan Ali is a sinner , blah blah blah.
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Oct 10, 2015 05:18pm
Dear Editor. I feel it cannot be termed as an over reaction by the Varsity. If a society devoids itself of the social norms and morals it becomes an emotionless place to live in. From the very beginning we teach our children good values. By inviting a person who has been criminally charged of an offense, what kind of message we want to give to our younger generation? Of course, once the case is settled and if excoriated of the charges. She could hold any valuable place in the society.
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Oct 10, 2015 05:19pm
@Dr Siddiqui. Answer: because they have money, glamour and a political backing.
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Oct 10, 2015 05:44pm
@Dr Siddiqui Criminal who?? Who are you to judge and label people? She has not been convicted of any crime so please show some character.
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Oct 10, 2015 05:54pm
I think Model Ayyan Ali is more respectable as compared to highly corrupt AAZ and NZ, Ishaq Daar or Dr. Asim.
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Oct 10, 2015 05:58pm
This is not an overreaction. This is the same sort of reaction that a university would show in USA. Just because it's a celebrity doesn't mean the university should alter it's policies. In the USA, even as big a star as Bill Maher has been cancelled by Stanford university. The student should have anticipated the reaction inviting someone as controversial as Ayyan Ali would cause and if he or she didn't, than the university is well within it's rights to make sure, they get the message across. Good decision!!
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Oct 10, 2015 05:59pm
@ayub No she cannot. She cannot attend a university function. without the universities consent. That's like saying I am a citizen of Pakistan, I can go to your house and attend any function I want.
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Oct 10, 2015 06:43pm
Our legal system (or no system) is utter failure like almost all other institutions of the country (in this case PMLN is unwilling to punish the culprit). Killing of the officer who captured this lady sent a loud and clear massage to common man. At least we can hate those people (system) or we want to eliminate the difference between right and wrong.
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Oct 10, 2015 06:49pm
Take a example of developed countries when a Minister done nothing but he is accused of some crime he resign from his office why because he knows people have no more respect for him. I follow the same moral values we should not give the respect to that kind of persons in our country.
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Oct 10, 2015 07:00pm
"Over reacted" ? She is a money launderer !!!!
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Oct 10, 2015 07:22pm
What happened to innocent until proven guitly???
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Oct 10, 2015 07:58pm
She should be called "guest of dishonour" instead of guest of honour.
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Oct 10, 2015 08:02pm
A fitting response to this would have been the boycott of the fast food joint by *students*.
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Oct 10, 2015 08:13pm
@Mahmood "@ Waseem Ashraf she is not considered innocent. She is just out on bail."
Has she been convicted? No. If she has not been proven guilty buy courts then she is innocent.
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Oct 10, 2015 08:43pm
@Mian Amir Hakim Mian sahib. Money laundering is not a heinous crime. If it is then most of our top leaders should also not be invited to any functin. How did our leaders *Nawaz Shareef, Asif zardati* and others transferred the money ?
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Oct 10, 2015 09:02pm
No reason to ban, University was sleeping when she came?
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Oct 10, 2015 10:34pm
@Do or Die what if the kids suspended were your children? its easy to point fingers at others but the truth is that all the kids did was invite a guest, if my university suspended me because they didnt like the guest i would question its ability to function as what its supposed to, an institute for learning and growing. its job is to facilitate growth not go against it, to correct errors in judgment not to shun people for it. some true idiots run this institute. dot be a part of them by supporting them.
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Oct 10, 2015 10:35pm
@SHERAZ KHALID what if the kids suspended were your children? its easy to point fingers at others but the truth is that all the kids did was invite a guest, if my university suspended me because they didnt like the guest i would question its ability to function as what its supposed to, an institute for learning and growing. its job is to facilitate growth not go against it, to correct errors in judgment not to shun people for it. some true idiots run this institute. dot be a part of them by supporting them.
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Oct 10, 2015 10:37pm
Invitng a person tainted with possible crime or crimes was like encouraging such behavior.
The discussion regarding who should have done what with home is frivolous and does not need to be addressed.
Unless she is cleared of her crime, she is under cloud and not to be entertained. Simple.
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Oct 10, 2015 10:39pm
@Syed what if the kids did it as humour amongst friends? what if they just did it to be like we brought a hot girl to our opening? what if she was a family friend? there could have been a million reasons my friend but none that could warrent the action taken by the university. your supposed to foster kids not destroy their lives
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Oct 11, 2015 12:40am
You have to understand that Ayyan Ali is involved in criminal activities and she is a corrupt person and should never be given this kind of importance. I am glad the students were punished
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Oct 11, 2015 04:09am
KU does not have a code of conduct that a person being heard in Court cannot be invited for an inauguration.
So the students did not break any code of conduct.
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Oct 11, 2015 06:06am
@Syed Nawaz, Zardari were the first choices but they have so many corruptions charges against them. Musharraf got his issues too, can not even make it court. What could poor souls do?
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Oct 11, 2015 06:27am
So many corrupt politician are enjoying special vvip security and other luxury . they are state guest while in power . this women is not a terrorist why made so much noise if someone made her chief guest
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Oct 11, 2015 08:19am
stupid decision from educated people who are seeking popularity by media and finally got one!
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Oct 11, 2015 10:12am
KU made a blunder first by not having any control on the chief guest for the occasion.
KU made the mother of all blunders by harshly punishing the student without any action against administrators. A dressing down to the student would have sufficed with some Show Cause etc to the admin guys.
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Oct 11, 2015 02:26pm
Article shows how soft we are when it comes to law and order and crimes....
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Oct 11, 2015 02:38pm
currency was taken out of her custody and she could not come up with a plausible reply.. and yet she is innocent until proved guilty -- this is just a matter of applying one's mind and see where the facts and the rules in this regards lead to !! so if she gets slightest benefit of doubt through a legal system ... yet, the outcome of such an act is pretty obvious -- only from a conscientious point of view-- if there is any (left )
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