Senate chairman voices concern over sharing students data with agencies

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani on Wednesday expressed concern over the Karachi University’s decision to share students’ data with intelligence agencies to check terrorism and extremism in the university in the wake of a student’s involvement in the assassination bid on MQM leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan.

In a letter written to the university’s vice chancellor, the senate chairman said, “I am abhorred by news reports that the record of students at the university will be handed over to the intelligence agencies. Further, they will be required to produce a character certificate from the local police station for admission.”

“These two institutions are the hard face of the state, an interaction with them will further consolidate the anxiety and fear in the minds of the students,” he continued.

Rabbani said, “Immediate steps are required to address the issue of extremism and violence in the youth, a total review of the curriculum and implementation of the Senate of Pakistan’s Resolution on restoring students unions, as diverse literary and academic activity will produce a counter paradigm.”

The authorities at the university had reportedly decided to share students’ data with intelligence agencies after the mastermind of the attempt on the life of leader of the opposition in the provincial assembly turned out to be a student of Karachi University.

The student’s involvement in terror activities has set alarm bells ringing for the university authorities and law enforcement agencies struggling to combat terrorism and extremism in campuses.

The mastermind of attack on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Khawaja Izhar was a former student of Applied Physics at the University of Karachi, SSP Malir Rao Anwar said. Susspect Abdul Karim Sarosh Siddiqui was affiliated with the proscribed Ansar-ul-Sharia Pakistan (ASP).

The ASP is behind the recent killings of policemen in Karachi, according to law enforcement officials.

The organization is reportedly responsible for at least 10 acts of terrorism in Karachi including targeted killings of policemen, attack on military police near Parking Plaza in Saddar and attack on Rangers personnel in Korangi and Orangi Town, officials said.