QAU students beat CDA staff, NA panel told

Officials had come to raze illegal shops on campus

ISLAMABAD:

The Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) students roughed up officials who had come to demolish shops set up illegally on the campus, the vice-chancellor of the varsity told the National Assembly Sub-Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Tuesday.

Ruling out police action on campus, the committee asked QAU Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali to hold a meeting with the students and resolve the issue peacefully.

The meeting of the committee was discussing encroachment on QAU premises which sprawl over an area of more than 1700 acres. At least 450 acres of the varsity’s area are under encroachment while squatters have even set up farms and shops and villages on the perimeter.

QAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Muhamamd Ali told the meeting that Capital Development Authority (CDA) had tried to demolish illegal shops in the university but students tortured the CDA officials forcing them to flee.

The committee meeting held under the chairmanship of MNA Hamid Hameed and was attended by members MNAs Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Andleeb Abbas. HEC Chairman Dr Tariq Banuri, International Islamic University Islamabad Rector Dr. Masoom Yasinzai, QAU Vice Chancellor Dr. Muhammad Ali, and other officers concerned.

The committee reviewed the issue of encroachment at QAU. The NA panel directed the VC to hold a meeting with the students and find out a peaceful solution to the issue.

The sub-committee also asked the VC to launch a campaign on social media regarding the issue and decided that the next meeting would be held in the QAU.

The forum also discussed the issue of narcotics in universities.

During the meeting, the issue of 750 Kanal land of IIUI was also discussed. The university officials told the NA body that they wanted to establish Information Technology Lab on the land but they were not permitted.

IIUI rector informed the committee that the government was providing 40 percent revenue while 60 percent was generated by the university, adding, they wanted to be an independent institution.

Member committee MNA Sadaqat Ali Abbasi suggested that the same formula should be observed in federal universities.

The meeting suggested devising a single formula for all federal universities.

HEC Chairman Dr. Banuri said they were endeavoring to implement an equal standard of higher education in all institutions. The HEC also gave a briefing on the online attestation system to the committee.

The body lauded the efforts of HEC regarding the attestation system and directed for further improvement.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2021.