Admission denied: Protesting BZU students cause traffic mess
Protesters vow to block roads indefinitely until demands are met
Students blocked Canal Road in Lahore on Monday for hours, leading to massive traffic jams. PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE:
Scores of agitated students of Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Lahore Campus took to the streets in protest against the decision of the university and denial of admissions in other universities.
Basis of protest
The Higher Education Commission had declared the BZU Lahore Campus illegal in 2015 after the sub-campus, established under public-private partnership in 2012, failed to fulfil the minimum requirements set by the commission. The decision has led to several protests by students of the campus on the Canal Road.
Earlier in the month, BZU administration notified the Lahore campus students to get themselves enrolled at the main campus as the sub-campus in Lahore had been declared illegal.
However, the two programmes being offered at the sub-campus, the BS Technology programme and the Doctor of Pharmacy (Physiotherapy) were not shifted to the Multan campus as these programmes were not taught in the said campus.
Instead, the 1,200 students enrolled in these two programmes were told by the BZU officials that they would be admitted to University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore and University of Health Sciences.
Time for action
The students blocked Canal Road in front of the BZU Lahore Campus and shouted slogans against the delay in getting admission in the said programmes and rumours that these students would not be admitted at varsities in Lahore.
While speaking to The Express Tribune, a student Ali said, “We have been waiting for the past five months to get admission but now we are hearing that UET and UHS have denied admissions.” He said they were protesting because the students had suffered for months and now were being denied admissions.
The protesters have vowed to block the road indefinitely until their demands are met. Till filing of this report, the Canal Road remained blocked.
Traffic disaster
A massive traffic jam was witnessed on all major thoroughfares of the city due to the protest of students of BZU causing nuisance to public.
Bumper-to-bumper blockade was witnessed on Canal Road, Ferozpur Road, Mall Road and other thoroughfares with commuters stranded in traffic for hours.
DIG Traffic’s spokesperson said 150 extra traffic wardens were deployed at the site to divert traffic on other roads to maintain smooth flow of traffic.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2016.
Scores of agitated students of Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Lahore Campus took to the streets in protest against the decision of the university and denial of admissions in other universities.
Basis of protest
The Higher Education Commission had declared the BZU Lahore Campus illegal in 2015 after the sub-campus, established under public-private partnership in 2012, failed to fulfil the minimum requirements set by the commission. The decision has led to several protests by students of the campus on the Canal Road.
Earlier in the month, BZU administration notified the Lahore campus students to get themselves enrolled at the main campus as the sub-campus in Lahore had been declared illegal.
However, the two programmes being offered at the sub-campus, the BS Technology programme and the Doctor of Pharmacy (Physiotherapy) were not shifted to the Multan campus as these programmes were not taught in the said campus.
Instead, the 1,200 students enrolled in these two programmes were told by the BZU officials that they would be admitted to University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore and University of Health Sciences.
Time for action
The students blocked Canal Road in front of the BZU Lahore Campus and shouted slogans against the delay in getting admission in the said programmes and rumours that these students would not be admitted at varsities in Lahore.
While speaking to The Express Tribune, a student Ali said, “We have been waiting for the past five months to get admission but now we are hearing that UET and UHS have denied admissions.” He said they were protesting because the students had suffered for months and now were being denied admissions.
The protesters have vowed to block the road indefinitely until their demands are met. Till filing of this report, the Canal Road remained blocked.
Traffic disaster
A massive traffic jam was witnessed on all major thoroughfares of the city due to the protest of students of BZU causing nuisance to public.
Bumper-to-bumper blockade was witnessed on Canal Road, Ferozpur Road, Mall Road and other thoroughfares with commuters stranded in traffic for hours.
DIG Traffic’s spokesperson said 150 extra traffic wardens were deployed at the site to divert traffic on other roads to maintain smooth flow of traffic.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2016.