KU postpones convocation due to security reasons

Because of the sharp security concerns, University of Karachi (KU) on Tuesday postponed its annual convocation which was organized to be held on 30^th January 2016.

Multiple causes, also involving the condition of security, were officially referred for the postponement of the ceremony. The sources have said that the event had to be postponed because of the non-availability of the chancellor on the date of convocation.

The registrar of Karachi University, Moazzam Ali Khan, without going into the depth of nature of ‘administrative matters’ said that “few authoritative matters and the non-availability of the chancellor [on the convocation day] as well as the security reasons led to the decision. Though, the next date for the convocation will be announced later”.

As per the sources, the decision was taken during a meeting organized to discuss the preparations for the convocation.

Headed by the VC of the University, the meeting was attended by the 3 faculty deans, director evening programme, and university registrar as well as the finance director and also by the Karachi University Teachers Society president among the others.

The sources moreover said that, though, the participants in the meeting were discussing arrangements, the vice chancellor was informed over the call that the governor (the chancellor of all the government sector universities in Sindh) was interested in joining the event however, he will not be available on the scheduled date.

The senior teacher of Karachi University, who attended the meeting, on the clause of secrecy said that “After receiving this information, it was decided that the convocation must be postponed”. But, few teachers expressed the surprise over the ‘desire’ of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad to attend the convocation since he has not joined a single KU convocation in almost an era.

A member of the university administration said that “Given the fact that the administration has failed to take any important step to make sure the campus security for one year in spite of having the required funds, most teachers were of the belief that the university must at least postpone the convocation as well as they had conveyed these concerns to the VC of the university.”