University of Karachi (KU)’s Bachelor of Science (BS) students have decided to sue the varsity’s administration in the Sindh High Court (SHC) over declaring the BS degree equivalent to the Master of Arts (MA) degree. Moreover, the BS students have also decided to resume their protest campaign against the varsity’s vice chancellor (VC) from Tuesday (today) because the VC had sought until Monday from the BS students who had protested during the annual convocation over not being awarded gold medals, but the VC did not show up at KU on Monday.
“When we were protesting, Public Administration Department Chairman Khalid Iraqi told us that the VC had accepted our demands and had convened a meeting with us on Monday. Following that, we ended our protest,” said Bushra Haider, a BS student from the Sociology Department.
“When we reached the university for the meeting, we were informed that the VC would not be attending his office. The VC backed out of his commitment, so the students have decided to resume their protest campaign,” she added.
Haider said KU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shahana Urooj Kazmi had assured the BS students that the varsity would issue them special certificates in two days with an apology for not awarding them gold medals.
“The PVC had also assured us that the VC would join the BS students for a photo session, but none of these things have taken place yet,” she added.
She said when the VC was asked for a photo session, the students were informed that the VC would not join them because he is angry over the protests.
Haider said, “After our gold medal issue is resolved, we shall approach the SHC. The KU administration is putting pressure on the BS students by making the BS degree equivalent to the MA degree.”
Iraqi said he had not made any commitments with any student on behalf of the VC.
He said he had assured the students that he would discuss their issue with the VC, but they had insisted on holding a meeting with him.
“I told them that I would try my best to arrange a meeting with the VC, but I never promised them anything,” he added.
Arts Faculty Dean Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal said the VC had not made any commitment of meeting with any student.
He said the VC should have addressed the students at the time of the protest as this is an internal issue concerning KU alone.
Kazmi said the VC told her that he had no idea about his so-called commitment of meeting the students as he was not informed by Iraqi about it.
