Karachi University Teachers to Challenge new Law in Court
Karachi:August 24: Teachers of the University of Karachi have rejected the new Sindh University Bill, saying it will increase political interference in the matters of the university, and have announced that they will challenge it in a court of law.
Under the new law, the powers to appoint the vice chancellors and other officials at the universities in the province have been transferred to the chief minister from the governor.
In a general body meeting held on Friday, the Karachi University Teachers’ Society (KUTS), the representative body of the teachers, also decided to observe a black day on Monday to protest against what they called “a major blow to the academics and autonomy of universities”.
Teachers at the biggest state-run university of the province will wear black bands on their arms, but will not suspend any academic activities.
Teachers from 13 other universities of the province have also expressed solidarity with the KUTS decision to denounce the new law, and their representatives are expected to attend a joint meeting in this regards to be held on Thursday at the NED University of Engineering and Technology.
“Through this bill political interference will increase in the university, and the campus will no longer be a democratic place,” said KUTS President Dr Mutahir Ahmed.
He said that after the new law, the chief minister would directly control all appointments in the university, including that of the vice chancellor, which was unacceptable.
“The university works according to a code. It has a senate, a syndicate and an academic council which take all the decisions related to the university in a democratic way,” he told The News. “The amendment in the law will sabotage this process.
