KARACHI: The government under a resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly last year needs to hold elections of students’ unions at all universities of Sindh and restore the autonomous structure of universities.

These demands were put forward by Karachi University’s Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Thursday, which was observed as a ‘black day’ on the campus in protest against the universities’ bill.

The appeal for the black day was given by the JAC.

To show their resentment against the legislation under which the government has made the statutory bodies of universities powerless, many teachers as well as non-teaching staff and students wore black armbands and hoisted black flags at various places on the campus.

A committee spokesperson stated that though the government had withdrawn a number of clauses from the controversial bill, the movement against the bill would continue till the government restored the autonomous structure of universities.

“We demand that the government hold elections of students’ unions at all universities under the resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly last year so that students’ representation on the statutory bodies could be restored,” he added.

“The government must immediately withdraw its decision to give guidelines on the admissions policy of universities and return this power to the respective academic councils,” a statement by JAC says.

Political interference in universities was rejected in the past and would again be forcefully resisted, it added.

Without naming Dr Asim Hussain, the committee also criticised his reappointment as head of the provincial Higher Education Comm­ission and stated that the post should be given to a non-controversial person with good academic standing.

“There is also a conflict of interest as he runs a private university,” the statement said.

The Sindh Assembly passed a resolution moved by a PPP MPA last year seeking revival of students’ unions.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2018