College students protest against HEC’s ‘discriminatory behaviour’

Demand CM to take notice of situation


Owais Qarni May 30, 2017
Demand CM to take notice of situation PHOTO: REUTER

MULTAN: Hundreds of college students, parents and members of the civil society staged a protest demonstration on Monday against the discriminatory behaviour of the Higher Education Commission regarding summer vacations.

The students and civil society activists gathered at Chungi No 6, Multan. They were carrying banners and placards inscribed with their demands and shouted slogans against the provincial government for closing down schools and universities in South Punjab and keeping the colleges open.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, Irtaza, a student of pre-engineering, said, “All the schools and universities have been closed since May 25, but colleges are still open. We have to come to the college during fasting.”

“If ‘no vacations’ is the policy of the higher education department than it must include all the schools and universities. Why only colleges are open,” he questioned. He added all the universities and schools should also remain open along with the colleges.

Advocate Shahbaz Gurmani told The Express Tribune according to the meteorological department, the temperature of Multan had gone up to 50 degrees centigrade and even higher in many parts of South Punjab. “Forcing students to come to college in Ramazan in hot weather is not appropriate,” he added. He said the Punjab government should review its policy regarding summer vacations in Ramazan to give relief to the students. “Many students of the nearby districts live in hostels and with Ramazan and unscheduled load-shedding it has become difficult for them to manage their studies.”

He said many students faint in classes due to suffocation and load-shedding.

Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association Senior Vice President Professor Malik Muhammad Ramzan said the demands of students were justified. He pointed out, “The problem of load-shedding is getting worse in Multan and the students even have to sit in exams without electricity.” He added, “The government should make a decision to facilitate all the students of universities and colleges.”

Meanwhile, Qaisar Naqvi, a protester said, “The weather is too hot and even the doctors have recommended people to stay indoors during peak hours.” He added, “The government should have some mercy on the students.”

The protesters demanded the Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif should take notice of the situation and declare summer vaccations in colleges.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2017.

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