QAU restores rusticated students

Swaps expulsion for fines, ‘strict warning letters’

ISLAMABAD: After weeks of protest, a group of students who had been expelled and rusticated from the Quaid-i-Azam University on disciplinary grounds, have been restored.

The varsity has instead decided to convert their expulsions and rustications into fines and allowed them to resume their studies.

The university had been forced to close for most of the last month following a protest by these students. While academic activities had been recently restored on campus, the Baloch students have been on a hunger strike for more than a week now.

The decision was taken in a meeting between some members of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) syndicate and the varsity’s pro-chancellor, Minister of Federal Education Balighur Rehman, on Thursday.

According to a notification issued by QAU registrar, the meeting reviewed the decisions made by the QAU discipline committee and decided that those students who had been expelled would be restored, provided they can pay a fine of Rs40,000. This would be in addition to the fines already imposed by the committee.

Those students who had been rusticated for two semesters can resume their studies after paying additional fines of Rs25,000. Students who had been rusticated for one semester can resume after paying the fines already imposed on them.

Further, a parent or guardian of each of the students would have to provide a written guarantee against the recurrence of similar acts.

Moreover, the notice said that all students involved in on-campus clashes in May would be given strict warning letters while the students would also have to tender an apology.

It was also announced that the university administration would withdraw the criminal cases it had lodged against the students with the police.

Meanwhile, QAU Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf told The Express Tribune that the decision to restore the students was taken by members of the varsity’s syndicate.

Moreover, when asked if the faculty agreed with the decision — an association of which on Thursday launched another move to remove the vice chancellor, Dr Ashraf said that there was no opposition to this decision from any member of the faculty.

The main reason behind the ongoing crisis is a violent clash which took place at the university on May 20 this year between the university’s Baloch and Sindhi student groups.

The clash which involved the use of firearm had left around a dozen injured and forced the university to close for a few days. Subsequently, the university’s disciplinary committee (UDC) expelled and rusticated had expelled eight and rusticated 18 students for their involvement in the clashes.

However, in early October, a group of students — primarily affiliated with the Baloch Student Council — laid siege to the varsity, blocking the main thoroughfare, demanding that their rusticated and expelled members should be restored among other demands.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2017.