QAU students take classes at bypass project site

Faculty asks govt to abandon Bhara Kahu project

ISLAMABAD:

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad on Friday demanded of the government to reverse the decision of constructing Bhara Kahu Bypass on the university’s land.

The demand was made during a press briefing held to highlight the issue of Bhara Kahu bypass.

The President of the Academic Staff Association, Officer Welfare Association, Employee Welfare Association and QAU Alumni Association briefed the media.

QAU had started onsite teach-in, to protest the construction of the Bhara Kahu Bypass project, which entered its 13th day. The faculty, staff, students and alumni of Quaid-i-Azam University have started the “Onsite Teach-In” at the construction site.

The students attended the classes at the protest site to register their protest and minimise academic loss.

A symbolic peace walk was also organised by the Joint Action Committee, comprising representatives of academics, officers, employees, and QAU alumni associations that expressed serious reservations about the bisection of the university land.

The participants highlighted that the QAU community was not against any public welfare project; however, the university land should not be used.

The bypass should be realigned as per the original plan.

They said that the project would split the university’s land into two non-communicating parts, and that was not acceptable.

The Joint Action Committee Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad released a fact sheet on important issues about QAU land and the ongoing Bhara Kahu Bypass Project.

According to the fact sheet, Bhara Kahu Bypass Project had far-reaching implications for the university, which violates the sanctity of the only National University in the country, bisecting the campus into two noncontagious barricaded parts, and separating the entire front of the university on Murree-Road from rest of the main campus, thus diminishing any chance of having a dedicated road access (from Murree-Road) for the university.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2022.