HYDERABAD, March 27: The academician at the Sindh University, after failing to normalise a tumultuous situation, have finally come out with a roadmap, which if followed, may help in bringing back educational process on track. The academic process remained discontinued for almost 50 days after the assassination of Prof Basheer Ahmed Channar on January 2.
Hence, the Sindh University Teachers Association (Suta) and the Sindh University Employees Welfare Association (Sewa) arranged an open dialogue “Sindh University Crisis: The Way Forward” at Shaikh Ayaz Auditorium, Arts Faculty Building on Tuesday. The meeting was presided over by President, Suta, Dr Azhar Ali Shah and attended by writers, academicians, intellectuals, scientists and representatives of teachers, employees, and students.
The meeting asked the Sindh Assembly to revise Acts and Charters of all provincial universities in liaison with the Federation of All Pakistan Universities’ Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) Sindh Chapter and other stake holders to inculcate more provisions based on democracy, transparency, and accountability; reformulate the procedure and criteria for appointment of chancellors, vice-chancellors, pro vice-chancellors, deans and other officers and establish Department of Higher Education, Sindhi Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC), Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), Discipline Specific Research Councils such as the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Medical Research Council.
The meeting resolved to embark upon a joint line of action for an indefinite period of protests if their demands were not met immediately.
However, Suta and Sewa will continue with their daily two hours of sit-in at the Administration Block (AC-II) till the time crisesat the varsity were ended.
Secretary Suta Dr Arfana Mallah briefed the participants about their three-month long struggle with the help of video clips and pictures while senior faculty members, including Dr Muhammad Tahir Rajput, Dr Sarfaraz Solangi, Dr Nabi Bux Narejo and Mr Shafqat Qadri suggested solutions to the ongoing crises. Dr Azhar Shah gave a multimedia presentation for brining about structural changes in all varsities by way of autonomy, transparency and accountability in the appointment of top level officials.
Dr Azhar Shah proposed adopting relevant sections of the University of Peshawar Act 2011 and Act and Statutes of the University of Cambridge.
Participants expressing bitterness over the apathy of the provincial government and governor proposed:
*A swift judicial inquiry and punishment to killers of Prof Basheer Ahmed Channar and a student;
*termination of the services of Dr Nazir Mughal and selection of the new VC as per the criteria;
*the new VC should have the support of the government and political parties to ban display of arms on campus, improveinternal security and remove security forces and restore student union;
*enquiry against Dr Nazir Mughal and his team to investigate illegal appointments and reemployment of retired persons;
*review and reform admission and examinations policies and procedures;
*establish a committee for structural changes to modernise organisational hierarchy and induct scientific management for enhanced efficiency and transparency.
The meeting was attended by a known writer and intellectual Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo, Awami Tehrik leader Rasool Bux Palijo, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz General Secretary Asif Baladi, former bureaucrat and research scholar Gul Mohammad Umrani, civil society activists Sahar Rizvi, Jami Chandio, Tahseen Shaikh, Inam Shaikh, Prof Muhammad Usman Keerio, Prof Prof Ihsan Memon, Prof Arshad Memon and Mr Buxal Thalho.