KARACHI: The Karachi University (KU) administration reached an agreement with the students protesting for a week against increase in semester fee, late fee and other issues after successful negotiations on Friday evening.

The Student Alliance claimed that the KU administration accepted their 11 of the 14 demands.

The alliance comprising the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT), Punjabi Students Association (PSA), Peoples Student Federation (PSF) and Imamia Student Organisation (ISO) had launched a protest campaign on the campus against increased semester fee, late surcharge, re-admission fees if any student would fail to submit fee on time, limited number of point buses, their dilapidated condition and poor security at the KU.

The All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation (APMSO) was not part of the alliance.

After the negotiations on Friday, the university administration has decided to give a 40 per cent waiver on late fee, after which the students would now be required to pay only 10pc of their total tuition fee as late fee, compared to the earlier 50pc.

VC says university to approach Sindh govt for more point buses

Similarly, defaulter students from the past two years have been exempted from paying re-admission fee. But the increase in the semester fee will remain the same.

Talking to Dawn, KU Vice Chancellor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi confirmed the above details and said: “Along with these, it has also been decided that the students who have not paid their fees would not be stopped from sitting exams. However, their results would be withheld unless they clear their dues.”

“As for the issue of the point buses, the university would approach the Sindh government as well as the local government to increase the number of the vehicles and would further work on their maintenance,” the VC said.

It was also decided that the number of points buses for the evening students would also be increased and the issues pertaining to the campus security would also be resolved. A committee would be formed for this purpose that would also include representatives from student organisations.

Earlier in the day, the students continued their protest and classes remained partially suspended, along with work in the administrative offices, due to the strike which also affected the point buses’ operation.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024