QAU expels 79 trouble-making students
Quaid-i-Azam University. PHOTO: ONLINE
The Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) administration has expelled 79 students and cancelled their degrees for their involvement in “on-campus violence, taking the law into their hands, disturbing academic peace, and violating institutional discipline.”
QAU Registrar Raja Qaiser Ahmed said that action has been taken against the students on the recommendations of the fact-finding committee. He said that degrees of the rusticated students have also been cancelled. He said that QAU acting vice-chancellor formally approved the expulsion orders.
Academic activities have been suspended at the QAU after two student groups clashed on the campus two weeks back, which left several students injured.
After the closure of the university and eviction of students from hostels, a 21-member committee had been formed by the QAU administration to thrash out a new set of rules and submit a report with recommendations and suggestions to improve the law-and-order situation in the university and avoid the recurrence of violent incidents.
On the other side, the university administration has slapped a ban on the entry of rusticated students to the university.
At least eight students were injured after a violent clash between two student groups. Students used sticks, batons and stones to attack each other during the clash.
An ambulance owned by the university was also damaged and a bus terminal was also vandalised.
The QAU registrar said that all hostel allotments had been cancelled and new allotments will be made in light of the recommendations of the committee.
He said that each student will appear before the committee before he or she was allocated rooms in hostels.
Sources said that the committee has recommended introducing a biometric system at all hostels and departments so that those with university cards will be allowed to enter the campus.
The committee has recommended further enhancing the university’s own internal security. It has also recommended demolishing dozens of huts established outside the main gate of the university and instead a food court should be introduced inside the university. The committee has recommended that people should be allowed to open a stall at the food court after collecting their complete data.
According to the sources, it has also been recommended to install CCTV cameras at the entrance doors and internal and external locations. It has also been recommended to build police pickets on the outer periphery of the university.
According to the sources, one of the committee members has suggested that the university restore the old MS, MPhil and PhD programmes and do away with BS programme. However, the proposal was turned down as it could have cost the university in financial terms as a large chunk of the fee was collected from BS students.
The members have also agreed to the proposal that only those students who have their biometric verification and university cards should be allowed to stay in hostels.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2023.