QAU upheaval: Two days after reopening, students boycott classes
Hundreds of students camped outside the administrative block to protest the expulsion of their 11 leaders.
ISLAMABAD:
Hundreds of Quaid-i-Azam University students boycotted classes on Wednesday and staged a sit-in outside the administrative block to protest against the expulsion of 11 students by the university’s disciplinary committee. The students also demanded that the administration take immediate steps to address long-standing issues affecting students.
They also said that “underhanded tactics” being used by the administration to intimidate students into silence should be exposed and students’ right to assemble, voice their demands and protest peacefully be protected.
The current unrest at the QAU campus began on April 27, when students disrupted proceedings at an international social science conference, with some of the protesters pelting stones at the conference venue.
Student leaders maintained that those who transgressed were exceptions but the administration proceeded to evict all students from hostels and shut down the university for one week. In this span of time, 11 students — all of whom are office-bearers of the Saraiki, Baloch, Pashtun, Punjabi, Gilgit-Baltistani and Sindhi councils — were expelled.
When the university was finally reopened on Monday, students in the hostels were forced to sign affidavits in which they were “effectively forced to relinquish all of their democratic rights”, said one of the protesters.
However, many students started wearing black armbands during classes and eventually agreed to boycott classes on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with the expelled students.
The protesting students also asserted that the reasons for the original protest on April 27 — insufficient water supply to hostels and unhygienic canteen services — must be addressed by the administration.
While the protest on Wednesday ended peacefully, no member of the administration met with the students, which suggests that both sides are hardening their stances.
Meanwhile, a university official said that the heads of all faculties, Vice Chancellor Dr Masoom Yasinzai and other senior administration officials met following the reopening of the university. In the meeting, the administration sought the cooperation of faculty members in maintaining peace and discipline at the university.
‘Expelled students can appeal’
QAU Registrar Dr Shafiqueur Rehman said that the expelled students have only one option — to appeal to the syndicate.
“The decision of the university disciplinary committee can only be reviewed by the syndicate and the students should file an appeal there,” he said.
He added that a committee comprising administration and faculty members has been constitute to look into the students’ demands and said that students having any complaints should approach it.
He said that only a few students boycotted classes on Wednesday and academic activities, including classes, ran normally.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2012.
Hundreds of Quaid-i-Azam University students boycotted classes on Wednesday and staged a sit-in outside the administrative block to protest against the expulsion of 11 students by the university’s disciplinary committee. The students also demanded that the administration take immediate steps to address long-standing issues affecting students.
They also said that “underhanded tactics” being used by the administration to intimidate students into silence should be exposed and students’ right to assemble, voice their demands and protest peacefully be protected.
The current unrest at the QAU campus began on April 27, when students disrupted proceedings at an international social science conference, with some of the protesters pelting stones at the conference venue.
Student leaders maintained that those who transgressed were exceptions but the administration proceeded to evict all students from hostels and shut down the university for one week. In this span of time, 11 students — all of whom are office-bearers of the Saraiki, Baloch, Pashtun, Punjabi, Gilgit-Baltistani and Sindhi councils — were expelled.
When the university was finally reopened on Monday, students in the hostels were forced to sign affidavits in which they were “effectively forced to relinquish all of their democratic rights”, said one of the protesters.
However, many students started wearing black armbands during classes and eventually agreed to boycott classes on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with the expelled students.
The protesting students also asserted that the reasons for the original protest on April 27 — insufficient water supply to hostels and unhygienic canteen services — must be addressed by the administration.
While the protest on Wednesday ended peacefully, no member of the administration met with the students, which suggests that both sides are hardening their stances.
Meanwhile, a university official said that the heads of all faculties, Vice Chancellor Dr Masoom Yasinzai and other senior administration officials met following the reopening of the university. In the meeting, the administration sought the cooperation of faculty members in maintaining peace and discipline at the university.
‘Expelled students can appeal’
QAU Registrar Dr Shafiqueur Rehman said that the expelled students have only one option — to appeal to the syndicate.
“The decision of the university disciplinary committee can only be reviewed by the syndicate and the students should file an appeal there,” he said.
He added that a committee comprising administration and faculty members has been constitute to look into the students’ demands and said that students having any complaints should approach it.
He said that only a few students boycotted classes on Wednesday and academic activities, including classes, ran normally.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2012.