A large group of students at the University of Karachi staged a protest on Thursday, voicing their dissatisfaction over several ongoing issues, including a recent fee hike, penalties for late payments, lack of transportation, deteriorating infrastructure, and declining campus security.
The protesters warned that they would escalate their demonstrations if their concerns were not addressed promptly.
Leaders from multiple student organisations held a joint press conference to criticize the university administration’s handling of these issues. Representatives from Islami Jamiat Talaba, Imamia Students Organisation (ISO), People’s Students Federation (PSF), and Punjabi Students Association (PSA) emphasized the long-standing grievances that have been raised in previous protests but remain unresolved.
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Calls for action on safety, fee hike, and campus services
Hamza Alam of Islami Jamiat Talaba highlighted the burden of rising semester fees and the imposition of steep penalties for late payments, accusing the administration of failing to deliver basic services in return. “We are paying more but receiving less,” he stated.
Other leaders, including Azhar Ali of ISO and Ali Bukhari of PSF, expressed concerns about increasing criminal activity on campus, noting the theft of motorcycles and cell phones over recent months.
The student leaders announced plans for a large protest outside the administration block in the coming week, vowing to continue their campaign until their demands are met. “If the administration does not act, we will intensify our protests,” said Waqas Meer from PSA.
In a separate development, the University of Karachi’s Academic Council approved the admission guidelines for the 2025 academic year, stating that admissions would be announced in late October, pending the release of intermediate exam results.
