Mardan, Women University Mardan has announced a closure from February 6th to 9th, 2024, in line with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s directive due to the General Election. The university community is preparing for a brief pause in academic activities to facilitate the electoral process.
According to Women University – Mardan, the closure notice follows the Higher Education, Archives and Libraries Department’s notification, ensuring the institution’s compliance with provincial guidelines. The university will reopen after the elections on February 12th. Security personnel are instructed to remain on duty during the closure to maintain campus safety.
This decision exemplifies the university’s support for the democratic process by allowing staff and students to participate in the General Elections. The administration has ensured that necessary measures are in place for the university’s smooth closure and reopening.
Jamshoro, The University of Sindh in Jamshoro hosted a significant rally to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir, led by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Muhammad Siddique Kalhoro. The rally, which saw the participation of teachers, officers, and students, began at the Arts Faculty Building’s main entrance and culminated in front of the Central Library, with attendees voicing slogans against Indian aggression and in support of Kashmir’s independence.
According to University of Sindh, Dr. Kalhoro, in his address, highlighted the Kashmir issue as a critical international humanitarian crisis that demands the global community’s immediate attention. He emphasized the need for an effective international role in finding a permanent solution to the conflict, which would put an end to the atrocities inflicted upon innocent Kashmiris by India. Dr. Kalhoro reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued diplomatic and moral support for the Kashmiri freedom struggle, stating that regional stability hinges on the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
The event also featured speeches by other prominent university figures, including Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Lad Campus Badin, Professor Dr. Khalilur Rehman Khombati, who pointed out that Pakistan has been the sole effective voice advocating for Kashmir’s freedom on the international stage. He stressed the fundamental right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination, a struggle that has persisted for over seven decades.
Director of IBA University of Sindh, Professor Dr. Imamuddin Khoso, described Kashmir as the world’s largest prison, where citizens are forcibly detained and subjected to severe injustices. He, along with other faculty members, expressed unwavering support for Kashmir’s freedom movement.
The rally called upon international organizations to heed the situation in Indian-controlled Kashmir and to enforce resolutions passed in the past. The speakers demanded the restoration of Kashmir’s independent status and condemned the Indian government’s August 2019 action of revoking Kashmir’s special constitutional status, which was seen as a direct assault on the Kashmiri people’s freedom struggle.
Participants in the rally, including academics and students, criticized the silence of world leaders and the United Nations’ failure to enforce its resolutions on Kashmir, highlighting the ongoing severe human rights violations by India in the region. The rally represented a collective voice from the University of Sindh, advocating for the awakening of global consciousness to halt Indian atrocities in Kashmir.