Security at Karachi University: 'Corrupt' KU officials may cause Peshawar-like tragedy

The greed of Karachi University's administration officials to mint money at any cost, who have reportedly allowed private rickshaw mafia to operate inside the largest and oldest seat of learning of the province, might lead to any tragedy similar to Peshawar massacre in the prevailing security environment. The KU administration is being accused of using the security management during the ongoing B. Com annual examination, as a garb to pocket money through the rickshaw mafia.
Students and visitors complain that it seems the KU administration has deployed the uniform guards at all entry and exit points of the university not to maintain security but to maltreat and humiliate students and other visitors. They forced students to park their bikes and cars at the entrance of varsity and nobody either parents, students and or even KU students are allowed to reach relevant department in their transport.
On the other hand, rickshaw mafia is active in KU and students are compelled to pay extra and exorbitant to travel in three-wheelers to reach examination centres and departments despite having their own transport. This correspondent observed that majority of the rickshaws inside KU are being run by university's guards or persons being patronised by the KU administration.
Official sources said that restriction on the entry of private vehicles during B. Com Annual Examination to maintain security at the campus provided an opportunity to KU mafia to enrich their pockets by compelling students to use three-wheelers to reach their examination centres.
"There is no reason to allow rickshaws in KU, as we have recently faced a national tragedy in Peshawar school last month; these rickshaws may carry explosive and other deadly weapons inside KU because university administration wrongly believed to have airtight security at the university by parking private vehicles at the entrance," they said.
"How is it possible that KU administration, despite having serious threats, allows the entry of rickshaws in the university with impunity hence it is for sure that all rickshaw drivers are either KU employees or bring patronized by the administration against undue gains." They said that although security personnel at KU did not allow any students even media persons without admit cards and formal permission, all rickshaws are freely roaming around the university and nobody bothered to ask them about their identification.
The cit has witnessed scores of bomb blasts planted in rickshaws, the law enforcement agencies deployed inside KU have allowed three-wheelers to operate inside varsity's premises without any security checks. When Business Recorder asked some of the rickshaw drivers as to how they are being allowed to operate inside the premises, they refused to respond the queries.
Sources said that negligence on the part of administration has raised security concerns that may lead to major human tragedy in future. "Private rickshaw service is being operated in connivance with uniform security guards and the alleged involvement of KU administration," they claimed. The irony is that students, who came to KU to take exams, are forced to park their bikes at Shaikh Zaid Islamic Center gate of KU so that they use private rickshaws to reach their examination centres.
When some of the students refused to park their bikes at the entrance, they were baton charged and manhandled by security personnel. Mubashir, a student of B.Com, who was in hurry to reach examination centre, received severe eye injuries after a guard badly hit him with baton.
A visitor complained that only selected rickshaws were allowed to operate inside KU. "Rickshaw drivers, who offered bribe to security guards, are allowed to enter the premises of the varsity," he told this correspondent. When contacted, Dr Muhammad Zubair, Security Advisor of KU, adopted bureaucratic style and gave banal statement by saying he will take up the issue. "We have given treatment to the injured student and action would be taken against the elements involved in malpractices," he said.