Students protest against non-issuance of degrees

Block Canal Road, creating massive gridlock in the metropolis

LAHORE: Students from the University of Sargodha (UoS) Lahore Campus protested against the fact that the varsity had not issued their transcripts on Tuesday.

Hundreds of students, carrying placards, gathered on Canal Road and blocked the thoroughfare for all traffic.

The students claimed that they had graduated around three years ago, but had still not received their degrees or official transcripts.

Ehtashamul Haque, a student, said that the varsity’s attitude had thrown them into a state of limbo. “We cannot continue our further education nor can we apply for a job,” he explained. “It feels like a practical joke when in reality it is a great injustice,” he added.



Maria Batool, another student, stated that the most unfortunate part of the whole ordeal was the fact that there was no forum where students could voice their concerns. “We have to protest, we have no other option,” she expressed, adding that they will continue their demonstration until their demands are met.

Another protester, Saqib Iqbal, revealed that he belonged to a poor family. My family had to face hard times just so that they could afford the cost of my education. Now that my studies are complete, they expect me to start shouldering some responsibility. I am frustrated because I am stuck between a rock and a hard place, he expressed.

The blockade caused a massive traffic jam on Canal Road, Ferozpur Road and other adjacent roads. The situation was only made worse by the fact that many educational institutes and hospitals are located in the vicinity. Commuters remained stranded for hours.



Zeeshan Ali, who was on his way home, said that it usually takes him 20 minutes to go from Wafaqi Colony to Mozang. However, due to the protest, he was stuck in traffic for over an hour.

An army convey that was supposed to pass through was also stopped by protesters who appealed to them to help them resolve the issue. Eventually, the convoy had to change their route while traffic police guided commuters onto adjacent roads.

Lahore Operations DIH Shehzad Akbar Rana visited the protesters and unsuccessfully tried to convince them to clear the area.

During this time, the varsity’s administration was nowhere to be seen. The protest continued until the filing of this report.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2018.