In connection with drive against illegal encroachment, occupation and non-demarcation of Quaid-i-Azam University’s (QAU) land, QAU’s Alumni Association, Academic Staff Association, Employees Welfare Associations, civil society and students have announced to stage peaceful protest against the illegal occupation of QAU land on 8th December, 2016 in front of Press Club Islamabad at 4 pm.
The office bearers of the alumni association have already started holding meetings with federal cabinet members, parliamentarians and senior government officials over increasing incidents of encroachment at the university’s land. QAU Alumni Association’s General Secretary, Muhammad Murtaza Noor informed that all the old students of QAU are unanimous on the fact that any encroachment at their alma mater would not be acceptable.
“We would utilise every possible option in this regard and would take up this issue to all the relevant forums,” he added.He further said that it was quite misfortunate that when Pakistan‘s leading federal higher education institution was celebrating its 50th anniversary, it was being subjected to such treatment and had been left on the mercy of land mafia to grab its land.
The QAU students, alumni, QAU faculty, employees and administration are really concerned about the fact that various encroachers have encroached upon over 200 acres of the university’s land, worth billions of rupees, he said.The varsity currently has 1,507 acres land out of the 1,709 acres allotted to it by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and CDA has also failed to demarcate the land in spite of repeated requests by the QAU administration.
Due to negligence on the part of the relevant institutions, influential land mafia has occupied QAU land. He also assured support and cooperation to QAU administration in this regard.He also appealed to the president of Pakistan and federal government for strict action against land mafia that has been illegally occupying precious land of top ranked university of Pakistan.
Following the international best practices in higher education sector, QAU should be declared a flagship institution along with announcement of special bailout package to overcome its financial constraints, he demanded.