Wrong beneficiary: Laptops that were distributed ‘mistakenly’
Students refuse to return the laptops; say their names were on the merit list.
Students refuse to return the laptops; say their names were on the merit list.
RAHIM YAR KHAN:
Many students of the Islamia University sub-campus protested on Saturday over a decision by the university administration to take back the laptops awarded to the students under a provincial government programme.
Fourteen bachelor’s students had received laptop computers during a distribution ceremony held in Bahawalpur on March 4. According to the students, almost a month after the ceremony, the university administration asked them to return the laptops for check up.
When the students protested and called their parents to have a word with the university director, they were informed that the laptops had been distributed ‘mistakenly.’
Students Misbah Nazakat, Ayesha Chaudhry, Ayesha Afzal and Asma said they would not return the laptops they said they had got on merit. They said the director threatened to register a case against them when they asked him to show them the letter issued by the government.
Assistant commissioner Syed Wajid Ali Shah told The Express Tribune that the director had called District Coordination Officer (DCO) Nabeel Javed for help when the students and parents protested.
He said his efforts to settle the matter had failed as the students were not ready to return the laptops.
University’s public relations officer Muhammad Shahzad told The Express Tribune that the university had received orders from the assistant commissioner to take back the laptops from BEd students. He said the university had nothing against the students. Shahzad said that the assistant commissioner would hold a meeting on Monday with the parents of the students to show them the letter sent by the government.
The students have demanded that caretaker chief minister Najam Sethi take notice of the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2013.
Many students of the Islamia University sub-campus protested on Saturday over a decision by the university administration to take back the laptops awarded to the students under a provincial government programme.
Fourteen bachelor’s students had received laptop computers during a distribution ceremony held in Bahawalpur on March 4. According to the students, almost a month after the ceremony, the university administration asked them to return the laptops for check up.
When the students protested and called their parents to have a word with the university director, they were informed that the laptops had been distributed ‘mistakenly.’
Students Misbah Nazakat, Ayesha Chaudhry, Ayesha Afzal and Asma said they would not return the laptops they said they had got on merit. They said the director threatened to register a case against them when they asked him to show them the letter issued by the government.
Assistant commissioner Syed Wajid Ali Shah told The Express Tribune that the director had called District Coordination Officer (DCO) Nabeel Javed for help when the students and parents protested.
He said his efforts to settle the matter had failed as the students were not ready to return the laptops.
University’s public relations officer Muhammad Shahzad told The Express Tribune that the university had received orders from the assistant commissioner to take back the laptops from BEd students. He said the university had nothing against the students. Shahzad said that the assistant commissioner would hold a meeting on Monday with the parents of the students to show them the letter sent by the government.
The students have demanded that caretaker chief minister Najam Sethi take notice of the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2013.