Abdul Wahab Abbasi
Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) is one of the most prestigious educational institution in Pakistan. It has secured the 100th spot among Asia’s leading Universities and ranked top in Pakistan by Times Higher Education World University Rankings. In QAU, students always enjoy the liberty where students’ activism and political consciousness have always played a vital role in securing students’ rights. Enthusiastically, QAU is also known as a “mini Pakistan” representing the rich cultural heritage of the country where the student community has a deep appreciation for cultural norms, values, and traditions. But unfortunately, the university that prides itself on its liberty, freedom of speech, modernization, message of peace, harmony and tolerance finds itself in a prison because of militarization and securitization. Shamelessly, one and half months ago, a clash between the students in QAU rose to an extent that it caught the nationwide attention. And there is no denying the fact that it was nothing but a display of the few fragile students’ egoism that opens doors for intervention of the university administration which has staged episodes of incompetency by calling Police and Rangers on campus in spite of students’ striving hard for normalizing the normal functioning of university through dialogue and peace. But resultantly, the notification was issued to leave the hostels in just a day without giving any alternative to students. But notwithstanding, students tried to contact the registrar, but the registrar did not respond positively then students eventually managed to meet the acting VC who not only denied their request but also turned a deaf ear. So as the result, the police forcibly displaced female boarding students in the darkness of night and started beating the male students out of their hostel rooms. On top of that, foreign students were also beaten brutally by the ICT police as well. Then, many have been arrested and lodged with FIRs and the charged students who did not have any involvement in the clash transferred to the Adiyaala jail as if they were the terrorists. Moreover, the displaced students shifted to nearby Kachi Abadi which was one of the cheapest areas of the university, but the Islamabad Police along with counter Terrorist Department raided these areas and evacuated students from that place also in the last days of month. Consequently, in spite of students’ repeated efforts, the registrar and VC shut the every door of negotiation. So then, students decided to arrange a peace walk for the restoration of academic facilities. In lieu of the peace walk, Islamabad police again arrested many students who were protesting against the unjust and unlawful steps of the university administration. Grievously, the university that was once filled with the hope of knowledge and intelligentsia was shut and closed the doors for learning. The dreams of many students who came across all over Pakistan to make their parents proud were crushed and made the flying birds paralyzed. Lately, the University has fully been militarized and securitized. The different camps have been constructed within the four walls of the university. Furthermore, the university administration has imposed the new revised hostel policies that are not quota based or in the favor of students. The university has also been shifted to online despite knowing that the majority of students cannot afford online classes because of the internet, electricity, and laptop issues. Optimistically, the new vice chancellor, Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, is suggested to take positive and adequate steps to normalize the situation without making the university militarized and securitized because it will destroy the inner spirituality of the university and open the doors of parrots that will have no analytical approach to think outside of the box like the other universities of Pakistan. It will also dampen the freedom of the students who have been enjoying their freedom since the opening of the university. In short, it is high time to create a more inclusive and amicable environment for all the students. The administration as well as the students’ federation needs to create a safer and more inclusive campus culture, enabling students to develop healthy social bonds and build a brighter future for themselves and their coming seekers of knowledge.
