GILGIT: The students of Karakoram International University (KIU) staged a protest against its management for increasing fees without providing facilities to students.

Protesters said mismanagement and financial irregularities put thousands of students’ future at stake.

KIU is the only public-sector university in the region, where more than 10,000 local students are enrolled. A large number of KIU students gathered outside the university vice chancellor’s office in the main campus.

The students held placards, some of which stated, ‘Anti Education Policies not Accepted’. They were chanting slogans against the vice chancellor and university administration.

Ali Kawish, a student of the engineering department told Dawn that the university administration increased semester fee by 20pc in this semester.

He said on the university’s website, the semester fee has been fixed at Rs32,000 while on vouchers, the fee is fixed at Rs50,000.

He said in public-sector universities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, students of the engineering department pay semester fees that are less than that in KIU.

Ali said that only one permanent teacher is available in the engineering department while two teachers have been hired as visiting teachers.

He said the laboratory has not been established in the department for students and the conditions of class rooms are also dilapidated.

Alamdar Hussain, one of the organisers of the protest, said the university administration failed to provide facilities to students. There are numerous issues faced by students.

Shakeel Ahmed, another student said it is amazing that the university increases fees continously but does not provide basic facilities.

Protesters said that financial grants from the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the GB government and international organisations are provided to the university.

They said how and where the funds are being utilised no one can know.

Sania Essa, a protester, said that many international organisations provided funds for scholarships however deserved students still do not get them.

They said the university is marred by financial irregularities and mismanagement. They asked the prime minister of Pakistan to intervene in the situation and play a role to provide justice to thousands of students.

Later, the university management held negotiations with protesters and told them that the cut in financial grant from HEC causes increase of fees.

The university management assured protesters that their demands would be fulfilled.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2023