We need Security…

By Syeda Nadia Zarif

Security is a big issue these days as the present situation of Pakistan is not at all satisfactory. Terrorists are targeting almost everyone and everywhere even the educational institutions and religious places are not safe from them and our Government has totally failed to control this situation.

In the light of the recent terrorist attempts, almost all of the public and private sectors, on their own, have taken strong measures to safeguard people from any kind of mishap.


But at the same time, our very own Karachi University, once again seems to be really cool about the whole situation. We all know that many educational institutions have been targeted by terrorists in the recent past but still our management is not doing anything appreciable in this regard.

First of all, the undersized boundary walls are welcoming anyone and everyone at all times, with open hands, facilitating terrorists to enter the premises of the varsity at any hour. Secondly, in the name of security we have a small number of security guards, on the four entry gates; they are mostly found having a chit chat or in a deep slumber even during these days when the security ought to be strict.

Also, there is a formality at K.U. that all the students have to show their student I.D. cards to a screaming lady who yells at us with all her might but never checks anyone.

In the end, I would like to mention that we need some reliable security arrangements to make our university a secure place. Firstly, a security staff of educated, sincere, dedicated (not to mention polite) members is needed and they should be provided with Metal Detectors for the proper checking of each and every person entering the varsity gates. There should be a certain building which could serve as the Centralized Security Control Room with necessary equipments and more security guards so that they constantly keep an eye out. CCTV Cameras should be installed at the exit and entry gates of the university. All these measures must be put into action as soon as possible.

One word of advice to our authorities: Let’s not wait for an accident to happen and then regret in front of the media using the words “if only we had enough security”.

Help yourself!!

By Sameen Meher

The University of Karachi is full of energetic students who are hard working and dedicated. (Please don’t laugh) We are indeed. When our esteemed administration fails to provide us anything, we adopt the “God helps those who help themselves” policy. For instance, the pitiable condition of the walls of our faculty is as old as the hills. And no one, I repeat, no one in the administration or in the management pays heed to the innumerable pleas coming out from the concerned students. As a result, it is “us”, the students who do the job ourselves.

It is noticeable that some departments of the arts faculty have become too old and their walls like those of Mohenjo daro. But the authorities still pretend to remain oblivious of the situation. It so happens, that when all attempts to get their attention, fail, students from their respective departments rise to the occasion and take the job into their own hands, using their time and cash to decorate their departments and classes all by themselves.

Last year, during the students’ week the students of Psychology, Education and English literature contributed their efforts to embellish their classrooms and walls. They paid for the oil paints and made colorful charts for the walls.

Students of the English literature department did not only paint the walls of their classes but also renovated their seminar library. Also, the students of Education and Psychology made beautiful charts related to their subjects that made the walls look attractive like never before.

Now the outsiders, get a good impression of the university (and mistakenly of the management) when they see all that decoration.

Therefore, I think the management of KU is totally useless and the students ought to make a committee to collect funds from chancellor and take care of their departments themselves.