KARACHI: Karachi University (KU) teachers at a meeting held on Friday resolved that they would make no compromise on the university’s autonomy and that “no government interference in the admission policy will be accepted, come what may”.

The meeting was organised by the KU Joint Action Comm­ittee, a body recently formed on the campus to spear­head a campaign against the Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment) Bill 2018.

According to sources, the participants of the meeting rejected the bill in absolute terms as well as the explanation offered by some government officials thereof.

“No government interference will be accepted in the admission policy; not even in the name of consultation or the so-called advisory role as these are all tactics to influence the university administration,” Dr Osama Shafeeq, a member of the action committee and part of Karachi University Teachers Society’s executive council told Dawn.

Highlighting the concerns raised at the meeting, he said it seemed that the government was preparing to table another amended bill without taking teachers on board.

“This has happened earlier. Hence, there is strong fear that the government would deceive teachers again,” he said, holding the bureaucracy responsible for the crisis as a hidden force.

So far, more than 2,000 teachers, members of the non-teaching staff and students had signed the petition, showing their absolute rejection of the bill, he said.

The meeting attended by representatives of teachers, student bodies and non-teaching staff decided to hold a seminar on April 4 to discuss the issue and launch a drive to drum up support from civil society.

It is worth recalling that the controversial bill, yet to be approved by the governor in his capacity as chancellor, not only shifts his powers to the chief minister and leaves him with a ceremonial role, it also takes away institutional powers of the university and nullifies the independent role of its syndicate and academic council.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2018