LARKANA: Students of Chandka Medical College (CMC) and Quaid-i-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology (QUEST) Larkana campus held protests on Wednesday against lack of facilities at their hostels and campuses.

The students of CMC boycotted classes and went to local press club where they demonstrated against the problems they were facing.

The protesters’ leaders Imran Buriro, Waqar Khoso and others criticised lukewarm attitude of the college administration towards their genuine issues related to water, electricity, fees etc.

They said that Pakistan Medical Commission which had kept the college in lower rankings had recently pointed out that condition of old Noori hostel was deplorable and it might lead to mishap at any moment. The hostel lacked facility of drinking water and cleanliness, they said.

They complained about regular power shutdown from 11pm to 3am which interrupted their studies as well as unavailability of buses. The college’s gymnasium had been lying closed for four years and the library faced shortage of updated books and adequate furniture, they said.

The college principal Prof K. Das said that three reverse osmosis plants had been installed to provide clean water to students round the clock. “We are trying to fulfil genuine demands of students. Power supply to the campus was fine as it had two lines to ensure uninterrupted power supply to hostels,” he said.

The principal had conveyed to the vice chancellor of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University about the students’ issues and the university’s registrar had visited the college to have a detailed meeting with the principal, sources said.

The students of QUEST Larkana campus held a protest against lack of facilities at hostels and campus and staged a sit-in at the university’s main gate on Wednesday.

The protesters’ leaders Ali Dhani, Kashif Rattar, Munsif Jagirani and others said that hostellers faced long hours of outages in this hot season which had seriously affected their health and studies as the administration had failed to provide them alternative sources of electricity.

The closure of bank counter on the campus had added to students’ difficulties, they said, adding that when they demanded facilities the college management issued them “threats”.

They said the Larkana campus of the university was running without a pro-vice chancellor and its affairs were being looked after by a director.

They said the administration was indifferent to their protests and urged Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Sindh chief minister and his adviser on universities and boards Nisar Ahmed Khuhro to take measures urgently to resolve their problems.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2021