Criminologist or Victim?

I was very much shocked to read the news in Daily Dawn on 27-04-10 that the administration of Karachi University is canceling the admissions of many students in MPhil and PhD in criminology with the plea that the concerned department of Criminology has no right to start higher courses in Criminology.

The University of Karachi is the pioneer university in Pakistan who introduced Master level course in Criminology. Instead of up grading the course levels, the administration of Karachi University is now rolling back the department without any justification. The department of Criminology and the education of Criminology is the need of the day everywhere in the whole world. But it has got specific reference to Pakistan for its conditionality’s and crucial situation which demands expert opinion makers of Criminology so as to create and awareness among the people of Pakistan and order to quench the rapid growth of crime rate in Pakistan. It is the Criminologist’ who can play a very significant role in handling the worst situation prevailing in the country scientifically and efficiently. So it is pertinent for all of us to have more and more research scholars in criminology with MPhil and PhD degrees. But on the contrary it is very much surprising and shocking that instead of marching on, the administration of the University of Karachi has tried to take the backward path at the cost of all those research scholars of MPhil and PhD in Criminology who have almost completed their research work and waiting for the award of the said degrees.

In my point of view the Karachi University is the 1st and pioneer university who was offering PhD in Criminology, therefor HEC and higher authorities must take a positive action to preserve the department and future of many students.

If the authority of the Karachi University is taking this plea that there is shortage of qualified Criminologists so they are unable to carry out the said courses accordingly. The solution of this problem is very simple and applicable if they hire few qualified Criminologist from private and public sectors as they are performing roles in private and public universities on contract basis. May I have honor to say that if there is a will there is a way.

Expecting a positive and favorable role from the administration of the University of Karachi.