Experts to review security at public sector varsities soon

Governor discusses campus security with VCs 

Karachi

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan said on Tuesday a team of security experts would soon visit all public sector universities in the province to compile a comprehensive report on their security issues and requirements.

Ebad, who is the chancellor of public sector universities in the province, said this while chairing a meeting with the vice-chancellors of these varsities and the IBA Sukkur director at the Governor House.

The meeting reviewed security and other requirements of the campuses.

The governor directed the VCs to take all the required steps to ensure fool-proof security for their universities. He said such security measures were needed to counter any threat of terrorism.

He further directed that boundary walls should be raised, walkthrough gates and closed-circuit television cameras installed, and security checkpoints and watchtowers built as part of the security measures.

Khan said that due measures should be taken to protect lands reserved for campuses against the menacing issue of encroachments by anti-social elements.

In this regard, he said, the land allotted to the universities should be properly demarcated for their proper protection.

He noted that a uniform policy would be adopted for the promotion and other service matters of faculty members of the universities after consulting with the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, Medical and Dental Council and Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council, being the regulatory bodies of university-level education.

The governor said that the last 13 years had seen a phenomenal increase in the number of institutions of higher learning in the country. He noted that in 2003 there were only 29 public and private universities in Pakistan and the number of varsities had now increased to 52. 

The number of students had also doubled as more and more students were enrolling in universities and doing research work leading to the PhD degree.  The vice chancellors informed the governor about the problems their universities were facing.