SM Science College: Students take sigh of relief as govt takes back relocation decision

Earlier, govt had decided to shift college to Lyari

KARACHI: Around 1,500 students can study at the SM Science College peacefully as the provincial education department has taken back its decision to shift the college to Lyari, officials informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday.

Additional secretary Zakir Ali Shah, informed the court that the July 28, 2013, notification to shifting the college to Sindh Madressatul Islam had yet to come into effect. But, the order has now been withdrawn through another notification issued on March 28, he said.





The controversy arose when some college students went to court in 2013 against the government's decision to shift the college building to the restive neighbourhood of Lyari. This move resulted from the Sindh government's earlier decision to merge SM Government Science College with Sindh Madressatul Islam, which was later given the status of a university.

Once the university's management took control of the administrative affairs of the college, it decided to shift the physical assets and staff of SM College to the building of Government Degree Girls' College in Kharadar.

On October 11, 2012, the education additional director for college inspection issued a letter to shift the college to the new premises immediately. Reportedly, the decision was taken to create space for the newly established university. But four college students, including Sarfaraz Khan Intiminanzai, challenged the decision in court.

The petitioners had claimed that shifting the college during an on-going session will seriously affect 1,500 students at the campus. Moreover, the new building allocated for the college was not large enough to accommodate staff and students, the petition stated.

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The students had specifically mentioned in their plea that earlier a college in the same neighbourhood, where SM College was being shifted to, was shut down due to poor security. "The security situation in the neighbourhood is not conducive for academic activities," the petitioners argued.

The students appealed the court set aside the letter ordering the college to be shifted and stay the process until the case was decided. On Tuesday, the two judges took the additional secretary's report on record.

Meanwhile, the petitioners’ lawyer expressed satisfaction over the government's decision. The judges then disposed of the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st,  2016.