KU dept’s building taken over by unidentified men

Police, Rangers called in to evict occupiers amid row over ownership

KARACHI:

Unidentified people claiming ownership of a piece of land adjacent to Bhayani Heights have taken over the newly established building of the Department of Visual Studies at the University of Karachi.

The Department of Visual Studies, a part of the KU's School of Architecture, had recently moved to this new facility known as the Sardar Yaseen Malik School. Classes were in full swing, with students engaged in both theoretical and practical coursework.

Sources at the KU reported that on Wednesday afternoon, a group of unknown people forcibly entered the department through its main gate on Abul Hassan Isfahani Road and occupied the building.

This unauthorised occupation caused panic among the students and faculty who were present at the time. In response, the students hurriedly moved their teaching and practical equipment from the premises.

Subsequently, authorities from the concerned police station and the Rangers responded to a request for assistance from the KU. The people claiming ownership of the land presented legal documents as evidence to the State Officer and Security Advisor of the KU, asserting that the land belongs to them. The KU, in turn, also produced documents substantiating its ownership of the land.

Amid the presence of police and Rangers, discussions between the two parties were ongoing, though the academic activities at the department had been temporarily suspended.

KU's Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mehmood Iraqi asserted that the land rightfully belongs to his university, citing past legal victories and supporting evidence.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2023.