QAU faculty demands VC’s removal

The faculty of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) has demanded the removal of Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf, exacerbating an already tense situation due to on going standoff between protesting students and the university administration.

Sources at the university said this is a very significant development, as the entire faculty has spoken out against the vice chancellor.

The Higher Education Commission, Ministry of Federal Education and the presidency – the chancellor’s office – have also failed to resolve the students’ strike, which has now been going on for 15 days.

The QAU Academic Staff Association (ASA) held a press conference at the National Press Club on Thursday, during which it held the vice chancellor responsible for the ongoing strike.

ASA President Dr Ishtiaq Ali, Secretary Dr Jamil Aslam and other office bearers said the university is being held hostage by a handful of individuals who are demanding the restoration of students expelled for violence, in addition to other demands.

They said the administration, HEC and faculty were prepared to accept all of the protesters’ demands except for the restoration of students, which the protesters refuse to concede.

The ASA also said matter of the restoration of students should be taken up by the university syndicate.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad administration devised a plan for the issue, the first phase of which focuses on negotiations, followed by the arrests of those whose warrants were obtained on Wednesday.

Other students responsible for the crisis were also identified and their lists were prepared, officials said, and these students will also be rounded up in the second phase.

In the third phase, the university will be cordoned off and the movement and freedom of students will be restricted, they said, and an operation would be conducted in the fourth and final phase of the plan.

Convocation for medical college graduates

The 2017 convocation for the Foundation University Medical College was held in the university’s auditorium on Thursday. Defence Secretary retired Lt Gen Syed Zamirul Hassan Shah, who is also the chancellor of Foundation University Islamabad, was invited as chief guest.

A total of 155 MBBS graduates were awarded degrees, and the chief guest also awarded six gold medals, five silver medals and 54 merit certificates. The award for best graduating student went to Dr Anusha Pervaiz.

During his address, the chief guest said the university has progressed at a remarkable pace.

He said: “Throughout human history, the nations that accumulated and used scientific knowledge, always led the others. In the modern world, where knowledge accumulation is increasing with every passing year, the fear of a knowledge gap between the developed and the developing nations is widening further. Pakistan, being no exception, is also making determined efforts to promote higher education and research in the country.”

He told graduating students that they must not consider this success to be the accomplishment of their goals, as it only marks beginning of an endeavour to learn and contribute to humanity and the country.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2017