Students, teachers, staff stage parallel protests over exam disruptions, fee hikes, administrative breakdown
The participants accused the administration of “turning education into a joke” and said students who travel long distances and prepare diligently are repeatedly faced with postponed or boycotted exams. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Protest tensions gripped Karachi University on Monday as students, faculty and staff took to the streets in separate but overlapping demonstrations over canceled exams, rising fees and a deepening financial and administrative crisis at the institution.
The protests were organized by Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba and a student alliance, which staged a demonstration and later marched from Terminal Point to Pharmacy Chowk, raising slogans against university policies and repeated academic disruptions.
The participants accused the administration of “turning education into a joke” and said students who travel long distances and prepare diligently were repeatedly faced with postponed or boycotted exams.
They said such insecurity was causing severe mental stress and academic loss, adding that despite heavy fees, basic facilities on campus remained inadequate. Protesters also blamed ongoing disputes between faculty and administration for directly harming students’ academic progress, and called on both sides to resolve their issues as soon as possible.
Read more: KU teachers. employees accuse VC of financial irregularities
Separately, on the 25th day of an ongoing protest movement at the university, a large number of teachers, officers, staff and students gathered outside the Administration Block for a strong demonstration and march.
The participants raised slogans against financial mismanagement, administrative inefficiency and what they described as the “collapse of the academic environment” at the institution.
Speakers claimed that issues including house ceiling, arrears, evening program dues, examination payments, leave payments, supervisor fees and retired employees’ dues were pending for a long time. They accused the administration of delaying tactics, press policy and lack of seriousness in resolving long-standing economic disputes.
Protesters expressed deep concern that a leading educational institution had been pushed to the point where all stakeholders – teachers, staff and students – were forced onto the streets, while authorities continue to avoid meaningful action.
They warned that if the issues were not resolved immediately, the protest movement would intensify and the administration and relevant government authorities would be held responsible for the consequences.
The protesters also announced that protests would continue even into the Eid days, with a demonstration planned outside the administration block where families of teachers and staff would also attend to highlight the wider human impact of the crisis.
They urged Sindh Chief Minister and Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to take immediate notice of the situation, order transparent investigations into financial and administrative mismanagement, ensure payment of outstanding dues and take urgent measures to prevent further deterioration of the university.
