Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Justice Athar Minallah, while hearing arguments on a petition filed by students of COMSATS University Islamabad, directed the COMSATS’ Management to take all measures to ensure that the academic activities on campus remains running as per notified schedule. He remarked that any person involved in delaying the university’s academic process must be dealt with strictly within provisions of the law. He further directed that under no condition can a teachers’ or any other university employee disrupt the academic activity of the university as students’ future is of prime importance under all circumstances.
The Chief Justice IHC inquired from the Registrar, Dr. Fahim Qureshi, about the legal status of the so called Academic Staff Association (ASA) of the CUI to which the Registrar replied that the Association has been declared as an illegal association according to the CUI Act 2018 as well as the Government of Pakistan through the line Ministry of Science and Technology. Thus, the association has no legal provision for existence at CUI to which the CJ IHC agreed.
While addressing the legal representatives of the faculty who had called for protest, the Chief Justice iterated that the future of students cannot be put at stake under any circumstances. The Chief Justice inquired from the legal representative as to what kind of teachers incite protest and play with future of poor students that the parents send to university to learn. He added that if any subversive activity is done on campus, which results in any loss of student’s academic time, the court will intervene in its capacity to take the matter to its logical end.
The IHC Chief also said that the court will not undermine the respect and authority of the Rector.
The case was filed on Saturday in IHC, by a group of students who plead that the faculty association organizes protests simultaneous with exams, which results irreparable loss to students. The complainants invoked the court’s jurisdiction to protect their constitutional rights and requested the University to hold examination on notified schedule.
