KU decides to take exam despite roadblocks
In the aftermath of the two killings, enraged demonstrators took to the streets and blocked roads.
The juice shop where three persons were gunned down on Saturday. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The University of Karachi decided to take its scheduled exam on Saturday morning despite the unrest and roadblocks in the vicinity.
Early on Saturday, the law and order situation was already tense in the aftermath of three killings near a juice store at Maskan intersection in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. However, the killings of two seminary students near the Moti Mahal a few hours later sparked protests when most of the students had already left their homes for the university.
In the aftermath of the two killings, enraged demonstrators took to the streets and blocked roads from Sohrab Goth till the Nipa intersection as they threw stones at cars and burnt tyres. Meanwhile, the law enforcers were nowhere to be seen for an hour until the Rangers were deployed to control the law and order situation. “Moving ahead from here is a scary prospect,” said Bilal Jadoon, who was among a dozen students huddled together for cover near the Nipa intersection. “We were waiting for public transport. I am not sure how I will be able to reach the university,” said Jadoon as the charged-up protesters smashed the windscreen of a car with clubs and rods.
While many students mustered the courage to walk toward the university afoot, Yahya Shahid, another student who eventually decided to return home, hoped that the university administration while ‘understanding the circumstances’ will postpone their exam. “I am not in a mood to take risk. Almost all routes leading to the university from here are unsafe,” he said. On the contrary, the KU examinations controller, Dr Muhammad Arshad Azmi told The Express Tribune that the university will conduct the exam anyway. He added, however, that all those students who will arrive late will be facilitated. “Exam arrangements for such a huge number of candidates take a lot of efforts and money. I hope that they will be able to reach the university safely.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2014.
The University of Karachi decided to take its scheduled exam on Saturday morning despite the unrest and roadblocks in the vicinity.
Early on Saturday, the law and order situation was already tense in the aftermath of three killings near a juice store at Maskan intersection in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. However, the killings of two seminary students near the Moti Mahal a few hours later sparked protests when most of the students had already left their homes for the university.
In the aftermath of the two killings, enraged demonstrators took to the streets and blocked roads from Sohrab Goth till the Nipa intersection as they threw stones at cars and burnt tyres. Meanwhile, the law enforcers were nowhere to be seen for an hour until the Rangers were deployed to control the law and order situation. “Moving ahead from here is a scary prospect,” said Bilal Jadoon, who was among a dozen students huddled together for cover near the Nipa intersection. “We were waiting for public transport. I am not sure how I will be able to reach the university,” said Jadoon as the charged-up protesters smashed the windscreen of a car with clubs and rods.
While many students mustered the courage to walk toward the university afoot, Yahya Shahid, another student who eventually decided to return home, hoped that the university administration while ‘understanding the circumstances’ will postpone their exam. “I am not in a mood to take risk. Almost all routes leading to the university from here are unsafe,” he said. On the contrary, the KU examinations controller, Dr Muhammad Arshad Azmi told The Express Tribune that the university will conduct the exam anyway. He added, however, that all those students who will arrive late will be facilitated. “Exam arrangements for such a huge number of candidates take a lot of efforts and money. I hope that they will be able to reach the university safely.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2014.