Taliban threat: MPAs question security measures at Karachi University

Taking notice of threats by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the University of Karachi (KU), Sindh lawmakers questioned the steps taken by the Sindh government to foil the terrorist’s plot.

After the APS attack in Peshawar, militants have issued threats to educational institutions thereby creating fear among the students, teaching staff and others, can the education minister tell us about the security measures that being are taken, asked Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Kamran Akhter. “More than 48,000 students are enrolled with 850 teachers and 450 employees working in various departments of KU. The militants have reportedly made their hideouts in the settlements around the university, which is highly vulnerable because the government has not yet taken satisfactory measures,” he claimed.

“After the Safoora incident and its findings, we are really shocked to know about the teaching staff lured by militant organisations at various universities and colleges. What kind of action has the government taken to free our educational institutions from extremist mindset?” he questioned.

Senior minister for education and parliamentary affairs Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said that provincial government is taking extraordinary security measures to secure KU, which has 56 departments, spread over 1,300 acres. “We have given a Rs30 million grant to the university to raise its boundary walls, install walkthrough gates and CCTV cameras with monitoring systems,” he said, adding that around 20 security guards are being hired and the university has also decided to appoint a retired army officer to head its security arrangements.