The cat’s eyes (retro-reflective safety devices used for road lane marking) especially affixed along the roads at the University of Karachi (KU) on the occasion of its annual convocation bear the stamp of the country’s name: “Pakistan”.
On a visit to the KU, Pakistan Today observed that some students were sitting along the roads and looking for something. However, on a closer look, they were seen scratching away the engraved label of ‘Pakistan’ from the cat’s eyes.
Reportedly, the varsity management had affixed 256 cat’s eyes on the eve of its 22nd annual convocation on December 15 to ensure safe driving within the university premises.
Some reports suggested that the cat’s eyes were installed to appease the KU chancellor – Sindh governor – who was expected to be the chief guest at the convocation, and showing the participants that the varsity administration cares for drivers’ safety inside its premises.
Another source said that the KU tried to appease the Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) – a teachers’ union – that had raised hue and cry over the construction of dangerous speed-breakers inside the varsity.
“The KUTS had demanded the varsity [management] to install cat’s eyes due to the rising number of road accidents inside the campus during the nighttime because of darkness and speed bumps,” he said. “The demand of the teachers union was met on the convocation’s eve.”
However, the cat’s eyes affixed along the streets bear the label of the country’s name; thereby upsetting the students to a great extent.
A Philosophy Department student, seen capturing images of a cat’s eye, said he will take the pictures to show his family members what he was learning at the KU.
“To see our country’s name being disrespected like this is really painful,” he said. “The [KU] administration does not care about this, and we as students can only try to scrape it.”
When approached for comments, KU Chief Engineer Adeel informed Pakistan Today that the varsity had purchased the cat’s eyes from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) on urgent basis for the annual convocation. “We plan to purchase more cat’s eyes from the KMC to ensure safe driving inside the campus.”
When asked if he had seen what is engraved on the cat’s eyes at the time of purchase, the chief engineer replied, “Yes, and so what.”
However, KU Pro-Vice Chancellor Shahana Urooj Kazmi said that she has no idea about this development. She promised that she would visit and see these cat’s eyes, and assured that she would be in a position to comment if she finds something wrong with them.