Protests Rock University of Karachi Over Exams, Fees Amid Crisis

Protest tensions escalated at the University of Karachi on Monday as students, faculty, and employees staged separate but overlapping demonstrations over cancelled exams, rising fees, and a deepening financial and administrative crisis.

Organized by Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba and a student alliance, demonstrators marched from Terminal Point to Pharmacy Chowk, raising slogans against university policies and academic disruptions. Participants accused the administration of turning education into a joke, citing postponed or boycotted exams that caused mental stress and academic loss despite high fees and inadequate campus facilities.

The protesters also blamed ongoing faculty-administration disputes for harming students’ academic progress, urging both sides to resolve issues urgently. Meanwhile, on the 25th day of protests, teachers, officers, employees, and students gathered outside the Administration Block, raising slogans against financial mismanagement, administrative inefficiency, and the collapse of the academic environment.

Speakers alleged numerous pending financial issues, including house ceiling, arrears, evening program dues, examination payments, leave encashment, supervisor fees, and retired employees’ dues. They accused the administration of delaying tactics, pressure politics, and lack of seriousness in resolving long-standing disputes.

Protesters expressed deep concern that a premier educational institution had pushed all stakeholders onto the streets while authorities avoided meaningful action. They warned that if issues were not resolved immediately, protests would intensify, with rallies planned outside the Administration Block on Eid days to highlight the wider human impact of the crisis. Demonstrators urged Sindh chief minister and Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to take immediate notice, order transparent inquiries into mismanagement, ensure payment of outstanding dues, and prevent further deterioration.