Students resist relocation of departments
Punjab Governor Muhammad Rafique Rajwana awards degrees to graduating students at the 15th convocation of the Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) Rawalpindi held at Convention Centre. PHOTO: INP
Students of Fatima Jinnah Women's University (FJWU) and their parents have expressed disagreement with the decision to relocate nine university departments to the Chakri Road campus.
The university administration recently announced its intention to move nine departments, including biotechnology, physics, electronics engineering, law, business, computer science, software engineering, and chemistry, to the Chakri Road campus, which is situated 30 kilometers away from the main campus.
Sources said concerns have arisen because the administration has not assured transportation or security for students making this lengthy commute.
Several students, speaking anonymously, voiced their apprehension about the relocation plan. They noted the inconvenience of having to travel such a distance early in the morning and the safety concerns related to returning late at night.
In response to this decision, scores of parents joined students in protesting the move. They called for keeping these departments at the main campus and urged the university to make the necessary arrangements to facilitate on-campus education for the students.
They argued that sending students to a remote location far from the city was not a feasible option.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2023.