KARACHI Dec 02 (TNS): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh Assembly Parliamentary Leader and PS-112 MPA, Khurrum Sher Zaman, has urged the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the financial crunch faced by the University of Karachi (KU).
The KU is facing a financial deficit of Rs. 1.5 billion annually and an accumulated debt of Rs. 5.5 billion. Sher Zaman urges that NAB investigate the financial crunch at KU and identify and take action against those responsible for this fiasco.
He also demanded that the Sindh Government take immediate action to eradicate KU’s deficit and debts, as the government thrives on the revenues generated by Karachi, which are 90% of total provincial revenues.
Besides the current provincial government being at fault, the MQM is equally responsible for the plight of KU, as it has been an explicit and tacit partner of past provincial governments for the past 3 decades. The Sindh Government and PPP falsely claim that nothing has improved in KPK under PTI-led government but in education both quality and deliverance has vastly improved. One minister has set an example by withdrawing his daughter from a private school and admitting her into a government school.
Can anyone in the Sindh Government do something similar? Mr. Sher Zaman urged ECP and NADRA to work on some out-of-the-box solutions in consultations with political parties and relevant stakeholders to this serious issue. Nowadays, the majority if students excelling in CSS exams are from KPK, whereas, in the past it was students from Punjab and Karachi topping. This should be a source of embarrassment for Karachiites. In the field of education, KPK students are at the top followed by Punjab.
Sindh and Balochistan are separated by a minor difference for third and fourth place, respectively. For the people of Karachi, this is a disappointing and shameful situation. Karachi was the brain and intellect of Pakistan but for the past 30 years, the MQM has destroyed this too.
All types of educational institutions have been ruined deliberately in order to produce students with servile and docile mentality. Because of this, the two major parties in Sindh have been at the helm of power for such a long period. It is outrageous that Karachi used to shut down on the deaths of MQM thugs and criminals and re-open immediately when payoff was received.
However, it is unfortunate that this city was never shut down to protest for the lawful rights of its residents. Everyone knows that MQM founded to voice objections to the quota system and demand of Karachi becoming a separate province but will MQM inform us to when it ever did any shut down on these issues.
When did MQM ever raise these issues in the Sindh and National Assemblies? All political parties are also responsible for the downfall of KU, as for the last 10 years, they have filled the jobs at the university with their workers and supporters without any budgetary sanction. Nearly 3,000 jobs were distributed like playing cards, which has led to the debt and deficit crisis at University of Karachi. Without dismissing surplus workers, the university will not be able to balance its budget. This is the reason 572 workers after scrutiny have been placed in the surplus pool.
Most of them belong to the MQM that are now becoming members of the dry-cleaning party. It is our collective responsibility to strengthen KU again so that the standard of education can improve. Once again, these students will brighten the name of Pakistan both domestically and abroad. Mr. Sher Zaman will take up this issue in the Sindh Assembly and even hold out the begging bowl if needed to eradicate the debt of the University of Karachi, as our leader Imran Khan has taught us that there is no shame in begging for a rightful cause.
