100-year-old college upgraded to university

Assembly passes law to convert Kali Mori College in Hyderabad to a university

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly passed a law on Friday to upgrade the 100-year-old Kali Mori College into a university following years of requests from the residents of Hyderabad.

The college, which is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in Sindh, completed its centenary in 2017.

The university will now be called Government College University Hyderabad and have nine faculties and admission will be open to all students without any discrimination on the grounds of religion, caste, creed, doctrine, race, colour or ethnicity. “The Sindh government will have the power to conduct inspections of the university and take action against or remove any official, including the vice-chancellor. The VC will be appointed by the chief minister,” the law said.

The university will have faculties of science, education, management sciences and commerce, information technology, medicine and allied sciences, law, arts and humanities, engineering and technology and pharmacy. “The university will follow the provincial government’s policy in its admission process,” reads the law.



“This college has completed 100 years, so we are going to upgrade it to a university, giving a gift to the people living in Hyderabad,” said Parliamentary Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro.  His words were welcomed by all members in the House, who thumped their desks.

Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro said the youth of Hyderabad and its adjoining areas will greatly benefit from this university. Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Rana Ansar, who is from Hyderabad, also spoke in favour of the university.

Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League - Functional MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi protested after she was not allowed to move her adjournment motion on a government school in Hijrat Colony that has been non-functional for a long time. “There is no school in the area. People are running from pillar to post, but no government official listens to them,” she complained, adding that lawmakers bring important issues to discuss in the House but the government ministers bulldoze them and do not let them speak. “Where should we go and where should we raise this issue?” she demanded, ripping up her agenda copy.



MQM MPA Nadeem Razi, who has left the party, raised the issue of a dilapidated road in Malir city. “Every other day, people sustain injuries and many have lost their lives. It has been turned into a killer road,” he said, requesting the local government minister and Sindh government to take notice of it. Responding to him, Shoro said the area falls within the jurisdiction of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and the provincial government has nothing to do with its maintenance. “You should approach the mayor regarding this issue,” Shoro suggested.

The assembly passed a public-private partnership law. The session was adjourned till Monday.