Strike continues: QAU protest enters fifth week

Quaid-i-Azam University teachers protested outside the administration and raised slogans against the Vice Chancellor

ISLAMABAD: A protest by teachers of the Quaid-i-Azam University entered its fifth week on Monday with no sign of the crisis letting up. A boycott of classes also entered its second week. A large number of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) teachers protested outside the administration block of the varsity as they raised slogans against the Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf and demanded his ouster. QAU Academic Staff Association President Dr Aqeel Bokhari pointed towards the alleged failures of the incumbent vice chancellor. Dr Bokhari alleged that the VC had failed to secure funding for the university whereas NUST and other universities had managed to secure large chunks of grants from the Higher Education Commission (HEC).  QAU has been in the midst of a month-long lockdown with academic and research activities grinding to a halt amid a strike by the faculty. The faculty grumbles that Dr Ashraf is incapable of governing the university and his alleged pursuance of nepotistic and discriminatory policies have impinged faculty to a great deal.  Last week, representatives of the faculty had met with Education Minister Balighur Rehman and HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and raised their issues.  The faculty has announced to stage a protest at D-Chowk on Tuesday (today).  

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2018.