Karachi University was partially evacuated on Wednesday after police received reports of three bombs on the campus but it was declared clear after a sweep by the bomb disposal squad (BDS).
Police control received reports of the bombs on their emergency 15 number after which the BDS was called in to secure the university, police sources said. Superintendent Police (SP) Gulshan Farhad Ahmad said the police were alerted about a bomb targeting a book fair at the gymnasium hall. The BDS, after checking the hall, cleared the situation, he added. Areas surrounding the building were also checked, he said, adding those spreading misinformation would be found soon.
Meanwhile, a number of students and faculty members said that educational activities at the university were not affected by the reports.
SECURITY CONCERNS AT KU
After the attack on Charsadda’s Bacha Khan University earlier this year, educational institutions across the country have been put on high alert.
However, an inspection of KU’s boundary wall, spreading over 1,350 acres, showed that the structure had completely fallen at two various places. The space created by the fallen wall is sufficient enough for a large truck to pass through. The point is found to be used as a waste dumping ground by people living in the neighbourhood.
At other points, the height of the wall is as low as five feet. Besides, the wall has also developed big holes. Huge bushes, a large number of commercial nurseries and car repair workshops along the boundary wall are some other security risks the campus faces.
According to sources, the administration had in January failed to take any concrete measure to improve campus security even after the Army Public School tragedy and the targeted killing of two KU teachers despite the fact that it received Rs 300 million from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) during the past year to improve campus security but failed to utilise it. The sources said an inspector of the KU watch and guard department had earlier complained about the broken boundary in writing in August 2015 but no action was taken.
The KU administration’s inefficiency, sources said, could also be gauged from the fact that the university had yet to release the Rs 70,000 that had been requested six months ago by its own department for building the boundary wall of the foreign students’ hostel. The installation of surveillance cameras has also been pending for the past seven months. Currently more than 27,000 students are enrolled with the KU while the number of teaching and non-teaching staff is over 4,000.
GOVERNOR SAYS THEY ARE MAKING STRATEGY STUDENTS’ SECURITY
Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan has said that steps are being taken under a strategy to ensure security of students and teachers at the universities.
He was addressing a gathering in connection with 4th anniversary of the grant of charter of Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) at its campus on Tuesday night.
The governor, who is also chancellor of the public sector universities in the province, said the strategy was aimed at foiling any possible activity by the terrorists. He said the vice-chancellors of the universities were ensuring security measures in accordance with this very approach. Ebad pointed out that the universities were centre for higher education and research and contribute towards the progress and development of the nation.
He said he was proud that the school which was elevated by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah from a school to college, he (Ebad) granted the charter to it as a university.
The governor said that he had also granted charters to the Dow University of Health Sciences, and the first law university in the country – Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Law University.
He further stated that the Sindh Madressah Tul Islam had a unique distinction of being the alma mater of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who had bequeathed one third of his property to this institution.
