Karachi University Can Remove its Officials

Karachi : The administration of Karachi University (KU) has decided to take stringent action against those KU officials who helped the land mafia in grabbing the precious KU land located in front of the main KU Silver Jubilee Gate.

The notice on the issue from the Sindh Governor House has forced the KU administration to take action against the culprits posted on different important positions in the administration, it was learnt on Thursday.

Following the instructions by KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim, KU Campus Officer Dr Khalid Iraqi along with some other KU officials has demolished all illegal constructions made by land mafia at KU land, starting from KU Silver Jubilee Gate to Shiekh Zayed Islamic Centre.

During the operation, heavy machines were used, a well-placed source in the KU administration said. The land is being estimated worth millions of rupees. To facilitate the land grabbers, some KU officials have started illegal construction work and poles have been fixed around the said land to facilitate the land grabbers, he said. "KU Executive Engineer Adeel A Siddiqui and State Officer Naeem-ur-Rehman could be removed from their jobs as they have allegedly been found involved in supporting the land mafia," he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the officials of the KU engineering and state departments have deliberately misinterpreted the official survey, conducted by Survey of Pakistan in 2005, and reduced the area of the land to provide an opportunity to land mafia to hold illegal construction on such part of land.

It is also may be noted here that the survey, conducted by the Sindh Governor House from 2001 to 2005, has also shown that the said grabbed fraction of the land is a legal part of the KU. The map prepared by the Governor House shows its association with the captured piece of the land.

When contacted KU Campus Officer, Dr Khalid Iraqi, he said that the illegal encroachments and poles had been removed from the KU land, following the instructions of the KU chief.

To a query, he said that it was so early to mention here that who was responsible for this but after provision of report, the administration might take action against the responsible. "The University has already won the case in the court on the possession of the said land. KU has evidences that convinced the court on the possession of the land. The involvement of some internal persons in the issue cannot be ruled out."

On the other hand, KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Pirzada Qasim, while talking to mediamen, has already termed the said piece of land as integral part of the university and said that no one could grab any piece of KU land. "Taking notice of some news published in newspapers regarding attack of mafia on KU land, the KU administration is investigating the issue and if any person found involved in this case will be punished. This is our policy to keep every piece of the land under control of the KU administration. The said piece of land is the property of the varsity since 1954," he added. The Nation