LARKANA: In what appeared to be a strange move, the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, has indefinitely postponed the MBBS examination at the Chandka Medical College due to the “security situation obtaining in the country”.

The ongoing exam at the Ghulam Mohammed Mahar Medical College (GMMMC), Sukkur, another constituent college of the same university, remained unaffected by the SMBBMU decison.

A press release issued by the SMBBMU vice chancellor’s secretariat on Thursday linked the postponement of papers to the security situation in the country and said that the decision to put off the exam had nothing to do with the Wednesday stand-off between professors and students.

The remaining papers would soon be rescheduled, the press release said.

The CMC campus witnessed an unpleasant incident during the exam on Wednesday when a group of students, including Muzammil Abbasi, son of CMC paediatrics department chairman Prof Khursheed Abbasi, agitated over alleged insulting behaviour of Prof Hakim Ali Abro, a member of the vigilance committee. The agitating students demanded removal of Prof Abro from the committee. On his part, Prof Abro said being a member of the vigilance committee he asked Muzammil Abbasi and another student to refrain from cheating during the exam.

He said the two students along with others reacted demanding his removal from the committee.

Soon after this, agitating students sealed off the main entry to the campus and disrupted the exam.

They also approached police complaining that Prof Abro was threatening them with dire consequences.

The campus remained tense on Thursday and the matter could not be resolved despite efforts by the college administration.

CMC vice principal Prof Akbar Soomro told Dawn that a committee headed by Principal Prof Saifullah Jamro was formed to investigate the matter and resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, Larkana Commissioner Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo and Deputy Commissioner Jawed Jagirani visited the VC secretariat on Thursday and discussed the issue with the vice chancellor and senior faculty members. A meeting of the university senate’s emergency committee was in progress at that time.

During the meeting, it was learnt that Prof Hakim Abro offered to quit the vigilance committee.

The meeting also heard the viewpoints of Prof Saifullah Jamro and Prof Kuhursheed Abbasi.

As soon as the senate committee’s meeting was over, the SMBBMU syndicate went into session to discuss the rescheduling of the postponed papers.

It was learnt that a majority the participants insisted on immediate holding of the papers after reconstituting the vigilance committee.

Sources said that candidates from FATA, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan wanted immediate resumption of the exam as they could not afford to stay on for long or leave for home only to rush back to take on the remaining papers.

On the other hand, the agitating students held talks with the vice chancellor but declined to end their protest until the matter was resolved to their satisfaction.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2015