ISLAMABAD: There have been no academic activities in the Quaid-i-Azam University the past 10 days due to the Academic Staff Association (ASA) led protest. Faculty members associated with the ASA are demanding the vice chancellor’s resignation and have closed down the university’s transport section.

Some faculty members have been protesting since the beginning of February and boycotted classes at the start of the current semester later the same month. However, classes were still being conducted by teachers who were not part of the protests.

Thousands of the university’s students have not been able to attend classes due to the closing down of the transport section ten days ago.

ASA leaders say the VC is “incompetent” and “unfit” for his post.

“The sit-in before the transport section of the university also endures. A significant, rather [an] overwhelming number of faculty members are maintaining a sit-in in the ‘dharna camp’, day and night,” An ASA press statement reads.

ASA President Dr Syed Aqeel Bukhari said HEC and education ministry have agreed to their propositions.

The leadership of the All Pakistan University Teacher Associations has also joined the protest and announced to hold a country-wide strike in a few days, he said.

The varsity’s VC, Dr Javed Ashraf has said in his interviews with the media since the protests started that seven faculty members have started a campaign against him since he did not give them undue promotions.

“Students are very critical of the strike,” Dr Ashraf said, adding that Education Minister Balighur Rehman has already ordered legal action against the strike on campus.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2018