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KARACHI: There have been protests after 12 students of the Dawood University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) were expelled earlier this month, and several contract employees were terminated this year.
The protesters are demanding the removal of Acting Vice Chancellor Dr Samreen Hussain, who they say has been appointed without merit. The demand has been become the top trend on social media sites.
It must be mentioned that Dr Samreen Hussain is the wife of former Sindh Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Asim Hussain.
On July 6, DUET expelled 12 students after they reportedly misbehaved with teachers and forcibly entered the auditorium during a teachers’ meeting. The varsity further decided to cancel their admissions and banned them from campus premises.
The university’s Registrar has also issued notification that says 12 students created a law and order situation while the vice chancellor was addressing faculty members in the auditorium of the university.
It said the illegal activity of the students has created a bad impression and chaos in the university and comes under misconduct and wrongdoings as per the Students Conduct and Discipline Regulations. The VC has decided to cancel the admissions of the 12 students.
Vice Chancellor Dr Samreen Hussain told a local daily that the guards tried to stop the rowdy students but they forcibly entered and misbehaved, which spoiled the atmosphere of the teachers’ meeting. She said action has been taken against them for violation of discipline. She said misbehaviour with teachers and violation of discipline will be tolerated
The students who are being expelled are Muhammad Haseeb, Hasnain Mehdi, Azan Sheikh, Sheikh Amar, Muhammad Shahbaz, Muhammad Kabir, Shiraz Yusuf, Muhammad Fahad, Daniyal Malik, Muhammad Faizan, Zohaib Ahmed Khan and Jahangir.
Students protesting since long #RemoveVCSamreenAsim pic.twitter.com/tfmoIbj8cB
— @SaeedSangri (@saeedsangri) July 23, 2023
داؤد یونیورسٹی کراچی سے 12 سندھی طلباء کو نکال دیا گیا جو کہ قابل مذمت ہے۔ وی سی داؤد سمرین عاصم کو اس عہدے سے ہٹایا جائے۔#RemoveVCSamreenAsim pic.twitter.com/pQQEVKE24E
— Ayesha Khan (@DahriAyesha) July 23, 2023
Earlier this year in April, Dr Samreen Hussain received flak after the university terminated the contracts of 67 non-teaching employees, 15 researchers, and six teachers.
The removal of employees was initiated by Dr Samreen Husssain after her appointment as the Vice Chancellor. The university sent a summary to the chief minister to approve the dismissal of employees, whose salaries apparently set the university back some Rs 3.688 million per month.
Dr Hussain defended her decision, stating the contracts of the employees were already up and the university cannot issue fresh contracts due to the ban on hiring.
Ironically, the VC has sought an increase in her salary from the chief minister despite measures to cut costs, a move decried by the protesting employees.
The provincial government approved a salary of Rs 1.25 million. She defend the hike and said that this was her right under the pay protection rules and she was paying higher taxes.
