KARACHI: In response to Tuesday’s tragedy, the administration at Karachi University (KU) decided to suspend academic activities on the campus on Wednesday and hold a meeting on security issues, sources told Dawn.

“Due to today’s unfortunate incident on the university campus, all classes in the University of Karachi shall remain suspended on 27-04-2022 (Wednesday). Further there will be no public dealing,” stated a press release.

Speaking to Dawn, campus security adviser Prof Mohammad Zubair said the university had received an alert from agencies over the Chinese faculty members’ security and this was later discussed in a meeting held at the Rangers headquarters.

“Later, I had written a letter to them, asking the faculty members to seek protection of the police or Rangers when they intended to move out of the campus,” he said, adding that he was on leave, but now returning to Karachi after learning about the incident.

According to him, it is the first time in his period as a security adviser that he had received such an alert pertaining to the security of the Chinese faculty members. “Earlier, the administration got alerts over university’s security.”

Prof Zubair admitted that there were serious security issues on the campus that needed to be taken up on priority basis.

“I think this tragedy should open our eyes. The university is open from all sides and the first step we need to take is to erect a concrete boundary wall.”

Four people — three of whom were Chinese nationals and faculty members of the university’s Confucius Institute and a driver — were killed when a suicide attacker targeted their vehicle on the campus.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission Dr Tariq Rafi, KU’s acting Vice Chancellor Prof Nasira Khatoon, KU registrar Prof Maqsood Ali Ansari, Pakistani Director of Confucius Institute for the Chinese Language Prof Nasiruddin Khan and Karachi University Teachers’ Society have condemned the blast, while expressing heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

“Such cowardly and nefarious attempts to undermine Pak-China friendship will not be allowed to succeed under any circumstances. We hope that the government will punish the elements involved in such activities and believe that every possible step will be taken to reach the elements behind the attack,” the acting VC stated.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2022