Quaid-i-Azam University is once again passing through tough times as the students’ protest has passed its ninth day. Students claim that an unjustified fee hike is not acceptable and they will not abandon the protest unless their demand is met.
According to information, in 2019, the first-semester fee was around about Rs 59,740. Owing to the economic blow following the coronavirus, the fee witnessed a sharp increase of a whopping 27 percent to Rs76,030 in 2020. In 2021, it has further been increased to Rs80,240. Similarly, the security fee has ballooned from Rs 5,013 to Rs 10,626 this year.
Undoubtedly, the rising fee is not a positive omen for students who hardly manage their expenses. Top-level officials maintain that the current government has left the public sector universities with no other option. They say that the government has suspended the grants to public sector universities and has directed them to manage financial needs on their own.
Some of the violent activities are also carried out by the students as they have vandalized the QAU server room. This was done to abrogate the online classes. QAU officials stated that Rs 120 million’s worth of equipment has been destroyed that has made the availability of Internet impossible for the next four months. According to a recent notification by the QAU administration, all the rights demands of students have been accepted including on fees, transportation, library timing, and hostels. Unfortunately, despite getting fulfilled their demand, a group of students is still on strike. These protesters are from Pushtun and Saraiki student councils. There are five student councils, comprising Punjab, Sindh, Pushtun, Saraiki, and Gilgit. With the exception of the Pushtun and Saraiki councils, all other councils have called off the strike following the recent notification by the administration. Raising voices against unjust administrative decisions is a right of students and listening to them is the duty of the administration.
Hopefully this time the administration will not bow down before the students. Kowtowing to illegitimate demands will further strengthen the propensity of illegal strikes. I have been told the Islamabad police are trying to eradicate the hurdles and making the roads safe for QAU’s buses
As an erstwhile student of QAU, I know that most of the teachers are cooperative. If we talk about administration, it was dysfunctional before the arrival of Vice-Chancellor Muhammad Ali Shah and Registrar Dr Raja Qaisar Ahmad. I am one of the students of Dr Raja Qaisar Ahmad. Honestly, I could not find a more cooperative and benevolent person in my four years at QAU. The reason for mentioning this is to make readers understand that now the administration is working under the stewardship of cooperative officials. When I read the recent notification posted on Twitter by Dr. Raja Qaisar Ahmad, I thought that if this was the solution then it must have been done before. But after learning about students who are still protesting, I concluded even deft and timely handling could not have appeased the mess. The students who are still on strike are less concerned about the fee but more about their expelled fellows.
One of my friends told me about the scuffle some Pushtun troublemakers were part of. A few days back, some miscreants from the Pushtun community quarreled with the library staff and were expelled from the University. Similarly, some of the Saraiki students were also rusticated on the charge of violating the University’s code of conduct. Both councils want the restoration of the rusticated students.
Sadly, QAU has already gone through a similar situation once before. In 2017, Sindh and Baloch Council’s clash resulted in the rustication of 26 students. The majority of expelled students were Baloch. Then, Baloch students protested for the restoration of their fellows. When the administration did not meet their demand, they adopted the path of a hunger strike. Over time, an apolitical matter was transformed into a political issue through malicious propaganda. Baloch students were being taken as the victims of injustice meted out by the administration. Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti visited QAU for meeting the administrative staff to resolve the issue. So, the deteriorating health conditions of those who were on hunger strike, and political pressure compelled the administration to restore rusticated students.
Currently, students are taking Baloch students as a source of inspiration but hopefully this time the administration will not bow down before the students. Kowtowing to illegitimate demands will further strengthen the propensity of illegal strikes. I have been told the Islamabad police are trying to eradicate the hurdles and making the roads safe for QAU’s buses.
Initiating the BS program in QAU has appeared to be an unsuccessful project. A place like QAU demands mature students and intermediate students lack that level of maturity. The BS programme is contrary to QAU’s DNA. Secondly, the role of councils is destructive. In my four years at QAU, I saw many conflicts among councils. There are two main things against which the councils seem united; one is fee hike and demand for some facilities and the second is unity against Jamiat-Tulba-Islam.
The Jamiat tries to get a foothold in QAU but the councils’ resistance makes it impossible. The organization of all councils is known as QSF. One of the important reasons behind the unity of all councils against fee hikes and Jamiat is their survival. QSF’s bid to resist Jamiat’s presence in QAU is a positive thing but QSF should prove itself a good alternative also. QSF has never played any role to make varsity drugs-free and has never tried to create a conducive environment for learning.
