The management of the University of Karachi (KU) has termed the arrival of foreign delegations at the campus a major security risk and based on the current security situation, they have started canceling the already scheduled international programmes.
Karachi University Registrar Prof Maqsood Ansari has issued a letter in this regard in which he has advised to postpone an international conference to be held in the last week of July, saying that the arrival of delegations from other countries or cities in the current security situation is a huge risk. It should be noted that this conference was to be held on the theme “Current Trends in Science, Engineering and Technology”.
The Registrar of Karachi University himself was the chief organiser of the conference while the Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Naisra Khatoon as Dean of Sciences was its patron.
Prof Ansari said in the letter, “we had tried to hold the conference as per the schedule, but things were not going as we wanted. Therefore, the registration and sponsorship fees are being refunded by canceling it and we will try to hold it again as soon as the situation improves”.
It is to be noted that the conference was canceled by Karachi University two months before its convening on the occasion when the NED University in the vicinity of Karachi University held a conference on its campus in which the Minister for Boards and Universities Ismail Rahu also participated. Meanwhile, the security situation at KU is being described as bad or dangerous after the suicide attack on Chinese teachers.
Chinese teachers used to take these classes in NED and also lived there. In this regard, to know the administrative position on the security situation, The Express Tribune phoned Prof Ansari and also tried to get their opinion on WhatsApp, but no response received.
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Meanwhile, Higher Education Commission Pakistan (HEC) Chairman of Dr Tariq Banuri on Tuesday visited the University of Karachi (KU) and met the varsity’s acting administration discussing security arrangements and plans.
The Chairman of HEC Pakistan Dr Tariq Banuri expressed deep sorrow on the casualties of Chinese faculty during the attack on April 26 and he termed it a great loss. During the meeting, Dr Banuri was informed that the varsity has been working on the PC-I regarding the security of the campus, and soon it would be shared with the HEC Pakistan for the release of funds.
He was informed that the latest and most secure security system is required for the University of Karachi. The varsity’s administration has decided to build and repair its boundary wall, keen to improve the security at the entrance gates, and would like to install hi-tech security cameras and a central monitoring room to have better surveillance around the campus as well as the construction of the watchtowers.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2022.
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