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Friday April 26, 2024

KU cancels postgrad student’s admission for inviting Ayyan Ali

Ex-student barred from future admission; probe body says no evidence found against management

By M. Waqar Bhatti
October 06, 2015
Karachi
The registrar of Karachi University on Monday issued a notification for cancelling the admission of a current student and barring any future admission of a former student of the department of public administration for inviting the infamous model Ayyan Ali to the campus and “damaging the prestige” of the institution.
The admission of Araib Khan, enrolled in a postgraduate diploma course at the public administration department, was cancelled and a former student Abdullah Rizwan Shaikh was barred from getting admission at any department or program of the university.
Ironically, no action was taken against any member of the faculty or staff of the university for letting the model enter the campus.
The decision was taken in pursuance of the verdict of a disciplinary committee led by Prof Dr Ghazala Rehmani with Dr Anila Amber Malik of psychology department, Dr Fateh Mohammad Burfat of criminology department and student adviser Dr Ansar Rizvi as members. The disciplinary committee had been set up in the wake of the controversy erupted after Ayyan Ali came to the department of public administration to lend her support for an event held to raised funds for a students’ charity.
“We found no evidence that any member of the faculty was involved in inviting the model to the varsity,” said Prof Dr Ansar Rizvi. “She was escorted by police guards and these students received her at the Maskan gate. When our unarmed guards tried to stop her the students convinced them that prior permission had been obtained for inviting a the guest to the varsity.”
He said the disciplinary committee had invited postgraduate student Araib Khan to appear and explain his position after the issuance of a show-cause notice. However, according to Rizvi, the student hadn’t appeared before the committee in person, compelling it to take an ex-parte decision against him.
He said both students had a right to appeal to the KU vice chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Qaiser before they could approach the Sindh High Court.
On the other hand, several faculty members termed the decision of the committee as unjust and suspected that the members had bowed to pressure. They were of the view that the students were being meted out harsh punishments without any justification.