KARACHI, Oct 28: A majority of the faculty members of the applied chemistry department, Karachi University, boycotted the academic activities on the third consecutive day, Thursday, to protest an administrative order pertaining to establishment of a chemical/technology engineering department.

The KU authorities have recently announced to develop a full-fledged department for chemical technology/engineering programme, theory and practical classes of which were at present being conducted at the applied chemistry department.

A senior teacher of the department said that they had gone on strike on Tuesday as they felt that the vice-chancellor had ordered for the establishment of the chemical technology department, and also appointed an in charge of the same, without taking into confidence the faculty members of the department.

Teachers are of the view that the new department was being established at the cost of the years old applied chemistry department, as there was a plan to allocate some of the academic facilities available with the applied chemistry department to the new department.

"We have already communicated our grievances to the high-ups on the issue, and want to point out that instead of taking any unilateral decision, the administration should go for an amicable solution, as the chemical technology/engineering programme has been a source of concern for the students and teachers as well," claimed the teacher.

It was further learnt that a group of teachers had called on the dean of KU's science faculty, Dr Mohammad Qaiser, on Wednesday and apprised him of their sentiments over the development. It is likely that a meeting between the applied chemistry teachers and the KU vice-chancellor would be held on Friday, said a source on the campus.

The chairperson of the department, however, could not be reached for her comments.

When contacted, the dean of science faculty said that he had no information about any boycott of classes by teachers on Thursday, adding that on the contrary he had been told by the chairperson of the department that the classes were held on Thursday. He hoped that things would be sorted out on Friday.

A source privy to the Chemical Technology Programme said that the new department could be made functional by shifting the students to a separate building, and appointing teachers on a priority basis against the posts already advertised by the varsity.

The course plan for engineering programme will be approved by the bodies concerned and implemented at the earliest.

Only recently the KU authorities have decided to continue with the chemical technology/ engineering programmes, under which admissions were made last year. Some two years back, the then KU vice-chancellor and the syndicate had decided to revive the engineering faculty of the varsity, and an ad-hoc engineering faculty also worked for some months, while the establishment of the chemical technology department was also a step, among many others, towards the realization of the engineering faculty, a senior teacher of the science faculty said.