Karachi University student groups' clashes

Conflict rife at KU as student groups flex muscles
Karachi, Aug 08: The University of Karachi (KU) remained tense for a couple of days as activists of two student groups flexed their muscles to show their might to each other. Thanks to the timely action by the KU administration and the Rangers personnel, a major clash was averted that saved many lives.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pirzada Qasim said that he was tired of such happenings in the university and would do anything to curb this trend. He hinted that he would engage teachers and parents of the students to chalk out some orientation programme that would persuade students to concentrate their attention towards their education, and refrain from indulging in activities that cause bad blood among their fellow students.

Meanwhile, a reference was held at KU to mourn the death of Prof. Dr Shahida Parveen Ahmed, former chairperson of the Department of Pharmacology. Teachers and students thronged the auditorium to pay homage to the professor, who, according to them, built the character of students besides bestowing professional knowledge. The teachers and the students gathered there reached a consensus that Dr Ahmed was an elegant, ladylike and motherly figure for her students.

Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology (FUUAST) Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Qaiser meanwhile has expressed hope that his university will wriggle out of what he termed 'college culture' where teachers had limited vision and culture of research and academic pursuit was put on the back burner.

The wrangling between the teachers, non-teaching staff and the administration has become a regular feature. Sometime ago, a professor in the Pharmacy Faculty remarked that their (teachers') main concern was merely teaching, and that did not include dispensation of discipline, morality and overall grooming. Thankfully the renowned Urdu writer, researcher and critic Dr Aslam Farrukhi, disagreed – vehemently.

NED University of Engineering & Technology Vice-Chancellor Engineer Abul Kalam questioned the right of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to allot rankings to the universities. VC Kalam voiced his doubts about the role of the HEC while speaking at the recently held Senate meeting of the university. Many others at different universities echoed his (Kalam's) remarks, claiming that the role of the HEC is to provide financial assistance to universities and it should not extend its role beyond that.

Students at Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET) held a posters' exhibition to highlight their scientific achievements in the field of Biomedical Technology. Chairman of the department, Dr Haleem, was all smiles at the exhibition and expressed his sense of fulfilment on the achievement of his students.

Jinnah University for Women (JUW) began the new academic session with programmes on environmental awareness and lectures on different topics. The students also participated in the English debate that highlighted the importance of a healthy environment for a healthy nation. -perwez.abdullah@thenews.com.pk (The news)

Karachi University Extracurricular activities
Karachi: The University of Karachi has announced that there will be no extracurricular activity on the campus till the end of Ramazan. The announcement was made by KU students' adviser Prof Dr Tanweer Khalid on Friday.

"This is keeping in view the monsoon and maintaining continuity of classes," he said.

'Practical zone'

The "practical zone" established at the mass communication department of the University of Karachi will be inaugurated on Saturday.

The department's chairman, Prof Dr Mahmood Ghaznavi said on Friday that the KU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui would be the chief guest of the ceremony, to be held in Dr Feroze Ahmed Institute of the mass communication department.

The practical zone consists of radio, television, audio visual, news, advertising and public relations labs.

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Five students hurt in varsity clash
Hyderabad: Five students were injured in a bloody clash between two groups of students of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology on Friday.

One of the injured is said to be in a serious condition.

It is learnt some differences had emerged between the groups on organisational matters and the issue was to be resolved in a meeting in the canteen of the industrial engineering department.

But before the meeting started, leaders of the groups exchanged hot words which led to the clash in which fire-arms were used by both sides.

Jeay Sindh Students Federation (JSSF-Arisar) leader Asadullah Abbasi received serious injuries in the head. Other injured included Sindh People's Students Federation activists Tahir Arain, Ahsan Arain, Ali Raza Arain and Irfan Chachar.

The injured were taken to the Liaquat University Hospital in Jamshoro where another clash took place. Police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Asadullah Abbasi was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit where his condition was reported to be serious. The other injured were shifted to the city branch of the hospital, Hyderabad, to avert any further clash.

Abbasi has been operated upon, but he has lost a lot of blood.

A university source said Abbasi was being shifted to the Aga Khan Hospital in Karachi.

The university has been closed for Saturday and students have vacated the hostels and gone homes.A large number of policemen and Rangers have been deployed at the campus.

Jamshoro DPO Farrukh Bashir is reported to have decided to an operation in the hostels to look for arms.

A large number of students belonging to the JSSF (Arisar group) held a protest demonstration at the main hostel gate and demanded arrest of the attackers.

Later, they held a demonstration outside the Jamshoro press club.

They called off the protest when the DPO assured them that justice would be done. Journalists who went to the police station for information complained that the police misbehaved with them.

Addressing a news conference at the press club, JSSF leaders Sajjad Shar, Hafeez Pirzado and Ameer Hassan Panhwar accused the Sindh home minister of supporting the attackers.

They alleged that the attackers were Punjabi-speaking people who under a conspiracy were trying to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in educational institutions. They said that a black day would be observed throughout Sindh.

Meanwhile, Sindh People's Students Federation (SPSF) spokesmen Mir Abdul Razzaq Turrab and Abdul Razzaq Brohi said that the armed miscreants did not belong to their group, but were supporters of JSSF-A.

Jamshoro police have registered cases against the two groups.

Meanwhile, a senior teacher of Mehran University said on telephone that everything had happened in the presence of law-enforcement personnel who did not intervene.

He said that such incidents had been regularly taking place at the campus but law-enforcement agencies were either afraid of the armed students or they did not care.

Chairman of the JSQM-A Abdul Wahid Arisar visited the ICU where Asadullah Abbasi is admitted and spoke to doctors about his condition.

He protested against the incident and condemned display of arms in educational institutions.

He alleged that 'terrorists' were being patronised by the ruling party.

He urged the university administration to take serious notice of the incident and warned of serious action if the attackers were not arrested within 24 hours. Dawn

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Khuhro promises funds for upgraded CMC
Larkana: Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said the Chandka Medical College, Larkana, was established by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and was now being upgraded to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University.

He was addressing a ceremony at the SMBBMU Campus, Larkana.

The speaker said three stakeholders of the medical university, including teachers, students and paramedics, were the pillars of the institution. They should ensure service delivery, he said.

The speaker said when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto established the Chandka Medical College, Steel Mills, Port Qasim and other major institutions, he was strongly criticised by narrow-minded people but today these institutions were contributing to the development of the country.

He promised the establishment of a dental and an engineering college in Larkana. He granted an ambulance for the Cardiology Unit of the CMC, Larkana.

The speaker lauded the role of the electronic and print media for highlighting the problems of poor people. He strongly condemned the fake FIRs and violence against journalists. The news

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