VC accused of illegally leasing out Sindh University land

The Sindh University Employees Welfare Association has accused Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Siddique Kalhoro of handing over a CNG station and a precious piece of land on the Indus Highway to a private contractor.

Led by the association's president Muhammad Ali Ghangro, the employees staged a protest in the varsity on Tuesday, calling for withdrawal of the decision.

"Four to five acres of land on which the CNG station is also situated is being given to a politically connected contractor," Ghangro told The Express Tribune. He added that the contractor was said to be planning to set up a transport terminal beside the CNG station.

He recalled that the CNG station was set up by former VC Nazir Ahmed Mughal. The station earned up to Rs4 million a month for the university during peak sales.

"We warn the VC and the administration to desist from illegally leasing out the university's assets at a throwaway price under political pressure," said Ghangro.

The association also requested the Supreme Court chief justice, Public Accounts Committee, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Governor Kamran Tissouri and Secretary Universities and Boards to take notice. They also urged the civil society and political parties to support the association in its struggle to protect the varsity's assets from privatisation.

Varsity's version

The SU's spokesperson Nadir Ali Mugheri has refuted the allegations levelled by some employees against the VC for leasing the station and the land.

In a statement issued on Tuesday night, he said only the varsity's syndicate is empowered to lease the land and other properties.

According to him, neither the syndicate has met recently nor has it leased any assets, including the station and land in question.

"The CNG station has remained dysfunctional for over two years due to lack of gas supply," he said, adding that no one would be willing to take such a business on lease. He blamed the association for politicising non-issues.

Urdu Department

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation have blamed the SU for discriminating against Urdu language by deliberately letting the varsity's Dr Ghulam Mustafa Department of Urdu decay in academic excellence.

In a statement, APMSO's leader Nasir Nawab claimed that the SU has closed the doctor of philosophy (PhD) and master of philosophy (MPhil) programs in Urdu language.

He added that the admissions announced for the PhD and MPhil programs this year do not include any program in Urdu language. He alleged that the last PhD and MPhil programs in which students were enrolled were cancelled and the university did not even refund the fee.

The Express Tribune tried to contact VC Kalhoro for his version, but he did not respond.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2023.