HYDERABAD, Feb 3: The Sindh University syndicate on Sunday discussed the situation arising out of the week-long agitation by members and supporters of an association claiming to be representing a large number of university employees, and decided to turn down demands for the removal of the SU registrar or any other official.
The meeting, chaired by SU vice chancellor Dr Nazir A. Mughal, constituted a committee and asked leaders of the agitating employees to sort out their issues with the committee.
The Sindh University Employees-workers Association (Sewa) has been spearheading a campaign for about five-six weeks to press the provincial government and the SU administration to remove the registrar, Mohammad Nawaz Narejo, and accept the charter of demands it has put forward to the administration. The campaign turned violent on Tuesday when police moved into the campus and tried to disperse participants in a sit-in held outside the administration block. A senior police officer and several other people were injured in the ensuring clash between police and agitators. Fourteen employees were booked and arrested after the clash.
The syndicate meeting was attended by Rais Ahmed Khan, Advocate Jhamat Jethanand, Dr Anwer Ali G. Syed, Dr Sarfraz Solangi, Dr Ghulam Murtaza Mastoi, Imran Halepoto, Badar Soomro, Dr Mumtaz Bhutto, Dr Asad Larik, Prof Dr Abdul Sattar Ansari, Mohammad Nawaz Narejo and Dr Imdad Ismaeli.
Observing that a dialogue with leaders of the agitating employees was in the best interest of the university, the meeting constituted a five-member committee comprising Prof Anwer Ali G. Syed (convener) Dr Sarfraz Solangi, Dr Ghulam Murtaza Mastoi, Imran Halepoto and Dr Imdad Ismaili and said a decision regarding the employees’ grievances would be taken in the light of the committee’s recommendations.
The committee was directed to submit its recommendations in the next meeting of the syndicate to be held in the last week of the current month.
The meeting also resolved to maintain a peaceful atmosphere on the campus through a cordial relationship between the administration and the employees.
The vice chancellor told the media after the meeting that all legitimate demands of the protesting employees would be considered but blackmailing through agitation was not acceptable. Regarding cases against SU employees, Mr Mughal said that some of the agitators attacked and injured policemen on the campus and also tried to disrupt water supply and point buses operation by indulging in violent acts. The law should take its course, he added.
Most of Sewa leaders have gone into hiding to avoid arrest after they were booked in cases pertaining to creating a law and order situation, attacking police personnel, disrupting water supply to the SU campus and employees’ residential colony etc. The 14 agitators arrested after the Tuesday clash have already been remanded in judicial custody.