The University of Karachi (KU) got its land worth billion of rupees back after the paramilitary force moved its construction business from the campus, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The Rangers have silently taken the construction material along with the machinery away from the university, without informing the varsity officials.
On June 17, Pakistan Today carried a story bearing the headline “Rangers cementing hold in Karachi,” which revealed that the paramilitary force is illegally running a private construction business on KU land to “finance projects and to meet expenses”.
Reports have come out that Sindh Rangers prepare and sell construction material in the open market and also provide services for building and demolishing houses in the city.
When Pakistan Today visited the varsity recently, the scribe found wreckage on the place where Karachi Block Works, Sindh Rangers construction depot, existed until a few days ago. A makeshift office where Rangers officials met customers and the rooms established for the masons had been torn down. The dumps of cement blocks as well as construction materials, including sand and stones etc had also been removed from the campus.
Earlier, KU External Officer Naeemur Rehman had told Pakistan Today that permission to Rangers to manufacture blocks was given on request of the then campus security adviser for six months in 2008 for construction of its installations in the city, but they started a private construction business on the location and had been running it for eight years.
He also claimed that the then Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui wrote letters to Rangers high-ups, requesting them to evacuate the varsity land, but Rangers refused to vacate the premises.
KU Director Legal Affairs Asif Mukhtar also confirmed that the paramilitary force had vacated the campus land and had shifted its business after the matter was highlighted in the press.
“I have been informed that Rangers vacated the varsity land, which the paramilitary force used to run its construction business,” KU VC Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser said. When he was asked for more details, he asked to approach the campus security adviser in this regard.
Talking to Pakistan Today, KU VC Advisor on Security Affairs Dr Muhammad Zubair said that he had requested the higher-ups of Rangers to close down the construction business on the varsity’s land two months ago.
“Responding to my request, Rangers officials assured me that they would shift the business, and then a few days ago, they left the varsity along with their material and machinery,” he said.
RANGERS DENY:
Interestingly, Rangers spokesman Major Sibtain, who had earlier admitted before Pakistan Today, that the paramilitary force was engaged in the construction business to “finance its construction projects in the city and to meet financial expenses of the force”, refused to acknowledge that the federal force was indeed involved in the construction business on KU land.
He had previously maintained that Sindh Rangers were constructing pickets in the metropolis from revenue generated through the construction business.
Maj Sibtain also refused to comment on the sudden evacuation of the business from the KU site.
Before disconnecting the call, he asked this scribe to send him the questions via email, however he was yet to respond by the time this report was sent to press.
I have been informed that Rangers vacated the varsity land, which the paramilitary force used to run its construction business,” KU VC Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser said.
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