Balochistan Point Voice of Nation
Adnan Aamir
Quetta – University of Balochistan (UOB) was shut down on Saturday after protest of student’s organization intensified against the administration of the university.
UOB is the oldest and largest public sector university in Balochistan that also conduct gradation level examinations of degree colleges in Balochistan.
Protests against incumbent Administration of UOB started more than month ago but these were intensified after a reported incident concerning a female student on Friday.
According to claims of different student organizations, deputy controller examinations of UOB body searched a female student who was taking examinations of M.Ed.
This resulted in vehement protests by different student groups outside the administration block of UOB. Administration of UOB called the security forces to disperse the unarmed protestors.
According to eye witness reports, security forces baton charged on the protestors and also used Ariel firing to terrify the protestors. Multiple students were injured due to baton charge of security forces.
Protesting students were forced out of the gates of UOB and they started protesting by blocking Sariab Road outside University of Balochistan. Sariab road was blocked for hours by the protestors to express their displeasure against the UOB administration.
“Bodyguards of JUI-F Leader Hashmat Lehri fired on protestors when the vehicle of the politician was not allowed to pass by the protestors,” an eye witness told The Balochistan Point.
Firing by the guards of JUI-F leader wounded some students and The Balochistan Point could not confirm exact number of causalities.
As a reaction to the events of Friday which resulted in injuring scores of UOB students in and out of the university, student organizations announced to boycott university classes for next three days.
A meeting of all major student organizations took place on Saturday where students announced to continue their protests as long as Vice-chancellor (VC), Controller and Deputy Controller of examinations are not dismissed.
Administration of UOB rejects all the allegations leveled by the student organizations. Vice chancellor of UOB, Dr. Javed Iqbal told media that protest started when a female student was prevented form cheating in examination hall. He denied the charge that female student was body searched by male staff.
VC of UOB further claimed that security forces started baton charge on students after they tried to enter the administration block of University.
A former student of UOB told The Balochistan Point that “Irrespective of what transpired in the female examination hall on Friday, UOB administration is responsible for the current crisis.” He further added that “UOB has been turned into a den of corruption and an epitome of bad governance.”
This is not the first current administration of UOB has been blamed for bad governance and corruption. In recent past, a daughter of a provincial minister was promoted from grade 16 to 19 over nights.
Serious irregularities and corruption has been reported in recruitments of lecturers and distribution of Laptops in UOB.
Sami Parvez contributed to this report
Exclusive Report
Published in The Balochistan Point on June 13, 2015
