Karachi University armed clashes & robberies

KU Syndicate removes security chief
Karachi, Feb 01: Taking strict notice of the recent armed clashes among rival student groups and rising robberies on the campus, the University of Karachi Syndicate has decided to sack the KU security chief, Captain (retired) Zahid Maqsood.

Members of the KU Syndicate, during a recent meeting, urged the administration to improve the security situation or prepare itself to face more flak in the next meeting scheduled for February 12. They also termed Captain Masood's tenure as security chief a complete failure.

During the 90-minute-long meeting, Vice-Chancellor Professor Pirzada Qasim had to answer to the queries posed by members of the syndicate. They came down hard on the vice chancellor, claiming that kidnappings, muggings and clashes had become a regular feature in the campus life. The members added that even basic security was not visible on the campus and demanded a complete overhaul of the system.

The syndicate also disapproved the manner in which the Selection Board of the Department of Mass Communications was not allowed to function on the objection of a candidate who claimed that a member of the board was the PhD course adviser of another candidate.

The members rejected the action taken by the KU administration in this regard and urged the vice chancellor to keep a check on such situations.

It warned that failure to do so would allow the university to become a tool in the hands of students and others.

Rejecting the composition of the Selection Board of the Distance Learning Programme, the syndicate observed that all the teachers of the Economics Department were its members, which was unfair.

The members also directed the KU administration to reduce the workload of teachers involved in the MS, M Phil and PhD programmes by 50 per cent, as per the previous decision of the syndicate.

The syndicate also expressed reservations over the recruitment of teachers who had failed to come though the Department's Recruitment Committee. The members observed that such actions would compromise the situation of the chairperson and the two most senior professors. The news

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KU VC visits foreign students' hostel
Karachi: Vice Chancellor University of Karachi Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui paid visit to the foreign students' hostel and met foreign students to inquire about their problems. He was informed that the absence of boundary wall around hostel's building is a major constraint in maintaining security. KU engineer, present there, observed the area. Appropriate measures will soon be taken to resolve this issue. In addition, the VC also ordered that the building should be renovated. He has also directed the competent authorities to submit a report of general facilities that are mandatory for the hostel. Adviser on security affairs Prof Dr Khalid Iraqi, KU engineers and other faculty members accompanied the VC. ppi

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Karachi Literature Festival on Feb 5, 6
Karachi: The second Karachi Literature Festival is going to be organised on February 5 and 6 here at a local hotel.

Oxford University Press (OUP), British Council and a prominent writer and translator Asif Farrukhi, are the organisers of the event.

OUP MD Ameena Saiyid, British Council Sindh and Balochistan Director Syed Mashhood Rizvi and Asif Farrukhi told journalists at a joint press conference at OUP here on Monday.

The festival aims to promote Pakistani writers and rejuvenate link of people with literature. The festival is open to the public and free of cost. It features authors writing in English, Urdu and Sindhi.

It provides a platform for dialogue between Pakistani and the rest of the world, promoting contemporary writing and thought from Pakistanis, and bringing contemporary writing and thoughts from around the world to local Pakistani audiences.

Saiyid said the festival is being organised to honour our writers, raise their profile and bring them closer to their readers. Pakistan is part of the world and we cannot isolate it from the world. There is need to present Pakistan's soft image in the world, she added.

The festival provides an opportunity to put Pakistan on the map as a country rich in culture and creativity. It will feature talks, panel discussions, creative writing workshops, book launches, and readings by renowned authors from Pakistan, UK, USA and India.

Special events at this year's festival are aimed at discovering emerging talent through a short story writing competition, developing writers through a creative writing workshop, and paying tribute to Faiz Ahmed Faiz in the year of his 100th birth anniversary. A prize of Rs 100,000 will be given to a Pakistani/ Pakistani-origin author for the best non-fiction book in English, published in 2010. Daily times

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Universities call for grants
Khairpur: Vice-Chancellor of Shah Abdul Latif University Prof Dr Nilofer Shaikh on Monday demanded release of funds for the faculty development programme and said that a large number of scholars are waiting for pursuing PhD studies abroad.

She was speaking in a video conference convened by Prof Dr Mukhtar, member of planning and operation wing of the Higher Education Commission.

In the conference, VCs of different universities expressed their concern on the shortage of funds and non-release of grants for new projects.

They discussed the ongoing projects in their universities and demanded release of research grants.

Dr Mukhtar told the conference that the World Bank allocated $100 million for research and said that each university would appoint one focal person for seeking research grant.

He said that the focal person would submit two projects with justification of equipment, infrastructure, research associate and stipend. Dawn

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SSUET holds Open House Education and Job Fair
Karachi: An Open House-2011 titled Education and Job Fair, showcasing some 100 innovative projects prepared by the final year students of Electronics department opened at the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) here.

The open house was inaugurated by Chief Minister's Adviser Khawaja Izharul Hasan at a ceremony held at the SSUET Campus.

The ceremony was attended among others by Vice-President Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association Engr Adil Usman, Vice-Chancellor SSUET Prof. Dr Syed Nazir Ahmed, and Registrar Shah Mahmood Hussain Syed besides a number of top business executives, industrialists and representatives of various organizations participating in the fair. The news

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Book fair commences at FUUAST
Karachi: A book fair commenced at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) on Monday. A spokesperson of the FUUAST said that a number of prominent publishers and booksellers are participating in the two-day book fair the timings of which are from 10:00am to 05:00pm. Textbooks and reference books, both in English and Urdu languages as well as dictionaries etc were put on display. The students evinced keen interest in the books that have been put on display. A discount is also being offered, on the sale of books at the fair, it was further stated. app

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Two students crushed to death
Karachi: Two students of a private institute died in a road accident in the SITE-B police limits on Monday. Muhammad Noman Qamar, 26, and his friend Muhammad Haroon, 25, were knocked down to death by a speeding trailer near the Honda Showroom in the SITE-B police jurisdiction while they were heading towards their institute on a motorcycle. Some Passers-by managed to take hold of the driver, Naseer, and handed him over to the police. The trailer has also been seized. The bodies were shifted to the Civil Hospital for legal formalities. Both of them lived in Baldia Town, Sector D-3. The news

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