Uncertainty shrouds QAU reopening as talks stall

Expelled students demand restoration as varsity admin considers use of force

ISLAMABAD: Uncertainty surrounds the Quaidi- Azam University (QAU) — shut since October 4 — and nobody knows whether the varsity will reopen on Monday or not. An attempt by the district administration to resolve the crisis did not yield any clear-cut answers and the university administration is now mulling the use of force to reopen the varsity.

The university’s administration had rusticated 18 students and expelled eight others for their involvement in violent clashes in the university’s hostels in May this year.



The university’s syndicate, which is the apex decision-making body of the varsity appointed by the President of Pakistan, had also ratified the university’s decision to rusticate and expel the students.

The penalised students, mostly from Baloch and Sindhi student unions, have been protesting against their removal for the past week. They are staging a sit-in on the main road in front of the university’s bus depot, barring the buses from leaving in the morning, which means most students and employees do not reach the campus.

The situation became so dire that the district administration had to intervene. It held several meetings with the protesting students and university officials. A fresh meeting was held with the students on Sunday evening, but the deadlock had not been broken till the filing of this report with negotiations to end the students’ strike underway.

The only syndicate has power While the students insist on their immediate restoration, QAU Vice- Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf says his hands are tied and only the varsity’s syndicate can undo the expulsion. “While we are ready to accept their demands related to the need for more hostels and buses, the restoration of rusticated students is not in the VC’s hands. On this issue, we have sought three to four weeks from the protesting students since the syndicate is expected to meet early next month,” QAU acting Registrar Dr Imtiazuddin told The Express Tribune.



However, it seemed unlikely that the rusticated students would end their strike on the mere promise of their restoration. While no decision or announcement has been made on reopening the varsity, the university administration said they were determined to open doors on Monday morning, even if it meant using brute force to do so. “We will make a decision today [Sunday]. It is the VC who has to decide whether to remove protesters [by force if talks remain unfruitful],” the registrar added.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the protesters insisted that the VC has the authority to restore them and that there have been precedents in this regard too.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2017.