KARACHI, Jan 23: Political leaders on Tuesday demanded of the administration of the NED University of Engineering and Technology to allow students to hold book fairs and other ‘constructive’ activities within the varsity campus.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a three-day book fair, organised by the students of NED varsity belonging to the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) at Sadequain Lawn, NIPA Karachi, Nisar Khuhro, Mamnoon Hussain, MNA Mohammad Hussain Mehnti and others deplored that students were compelled to organise such activities outside the varsities.A large number of students and teachers from NED, Karachi University, Federal Urdu University Gulshan campus, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) and various other institutes visited the fair where books on engineering, natural and social sciences are being provided on subsidised rates.

The Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Nisar Khuhro, deplored that the NED varsity students were holding their annual book fairs outside the varsity campus for the past many years due to what he termed the ‘illogical attitude’ of the varsity administration.

“Such book fairs should be held four times a year and should be held within the varsity campus. It is regrettable that the NED varsity vice-chancellor is afraid of allowing students to organise book fairs and other such constructive activities at the campus”, he said and felicitated the IJT for organising these book fairs.

Mr Khuhro said that ban on student unions should also be lifted and youth should be allowed to participate in constructive political activities at the campuses, adding that during Pakistan movement, students played an active role in securing an independent Islamic state.

The senior vice-president of the PML-N, Mamnoon Hussain, congratulated the IJT for successfully organising these book fairs and urged them to create awareness among students on political issues, especially importance of democracy and demerits of dictatorship in the country.

He also advocated lifting of ban imposed on student unions.

MMA MNA Mohammad Hussain Mehnti said holding of book fairs regularly was a healthy tradition and congratulated the IJT for promoting such constructive activities.

The IJT nazim and student of NED varsity, Waqar Ahmed Khan, said book fair organised by the IJT under its Study Aid Project (SAP) would continue till January 25.—PPI