ISLAMABAD: The issue of expelling of some students has resulted in the closure of Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) on the second consecutive day, amid protests and announcements from fellow students to discontinue all educational activities until the resolution of the matter.
The protesting students told reporters that they were demanding for the restoration of the expelled students and the university would remain closed until a decision was taken in this regard. Earlier, the university administration had expelled some students alleging that they were involved in a scuffle between two student unions inside the premises of the university.
Apart from raising their voice in support of fellow students, the protestors also demanded from the management to withdraw its decision regarding the latest fee hike. They said that the varsity hostel lacked basic facilities and low-quality meal was being provided to them even though they paid hefty fees for it. In addition, they also demanded to make public the inquiry report on corruption charges levelled at the vice chancellor (VC).
Meanwhile, Islamabad magistrate and university management joined heads to resolve the matter amicably. A number of police personals have also been deployed inside the university on request of the management to avoid any untoward incident from taking place.
An official statement released by the QAU said that the VC, three deans, registrar, and the chair of the Disciplinary Committee met with students and requested them to stop the ongoing protests and negotiations were underway.
Though most demands put forward by the students were minor in nature, their principal demand was to reverse penalties on several students for engaging in a fight a few months ago.
The incident that led to the protests involved a number of students, representing two ethnic councils, who had engaged in a fierce confrontation, which left many injured. After the incident, some of them were expelled, others were rusticated, and a number of them were penalised financially.
It is important to mention here that the President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain has also taken notice of the matter.
