Students continue agitation against fee hike as HEC budget cuts hit Karakoram University hard
GILGIT: Students of Karakoram International University (KIU) Gilgit campus staged protest against Rs. 6,000-8,000 hike in semester fees.
Students boycotted classes and organized a rally from the university campus to Duniya Chowk, in which a large number of students participated. The protesters were holding play cards against the decision. They chanted slogans against the anti-education policies of the university, federal and provincial governments.
Demonstrators said that a sudden 50% increase in fees was unjust. The middle-class families are not able to pay such a heavy fee.
They threatened to protest in front of the Chief Minister House in Gilgit.
Talking to Pamir Times, Director Public Relations KIU Mir Nazeem Akhtar said that the university was facing a shortfall of around 100 million rupees due to 43 million budgetary cuts from HEC and loss of revenue of 50 million due to de-affiliation of public schools and colleges from KIU Examination Board.
He said the university has already adopted austerity measures and to fill the gap, the only option left was to increase the fees.
Report: Farman Karim Baig
