Protest Against Bhara Kahu Bypass: QAU Community Demands Urgent Resolution Of Their Concerns

News Desk

Islamabad: The faculty, staff, students, and alumni of Quaid-I-Azam University (QAU) have started the “Onsite Teach-In” to protest at the construction site of the Bhara Kahu Bypass project. The peaceful protest against the construction of the Bhara Kahu Bypass on university land has entered its 13th day. Students attended the classes at the protest site to register their protest and minimise academic loss.

The QAU community demands an urgent resolution of concerns about the construction of the Bypass Project on university land.

The Joint Action Committee QAU conducted a press briefing today to highlight the issue of the project. The presidents of Academic Staff Association, OfficersWelfare Association, EmployeesWelfare Association, and QAU Alumni Association briefed the media.

A symbolic peace walk was also organized by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising representatives of academics, officers, employees, and QAU alumni associations who showed severe reservations about the bisection of the university land. The participants highlighted that the QAU community is not against any public welfare project; however, the university land should not be used. The bypass should be realigned as per the original plan.

They said that the project would split the university’s land into two non-communicating parts, and this is not acceptable.

The JAC has released fact sheet on important issues pertaining to QAU land and ongoing Barakhau bypass. According to the Fact Sheet, the Barakhau Bypass project has significant implications for the university. It violates the sanctity of the country’s only national university, divides the campus into two non-contagious barricaded sections, isolates the front of the university from the rest of the main campus, and makes it less likely that the university will have a dedicated road access (from Murree-road).

Moreover, it harms the area’s natural environment, including the university’s exceptionally valued Botanical Garden, and it contradicts the university’s master plan, which includes areas set aside for National Research Centers.

The project consumes about 600 kanals of valuable university land, rendering significant amounts of additional land unusable, which result in a significant amount of additional land becoming unusable and about 2000 kanals of the most valuable (front) university land being left at the mercy of land encroachers.

The project also destroys the tranquil academic and research environment by sowing the seeds of discord and unrest among students, faculty, alumni, and university staff.

All the stakeholders hoped that their legitimate concerns would be effectively addressed and that the genuine interests of Pakistan’s only national, top-ranked, and prestigious higher education institution, founded in the name of Pakistan’s founder, would be protected.

To protect the tranquil academic/research atmosphere and priceless property of QAU, “JAC will take every precaution to prevent this poorly thought-out proposal from being unilaterally carried out on QAU grounds.”

The joint action committee demanded that the government must address the concerns of the University and consider the alternative route for the construction of the Bhara Kahu bypass, which may not divide the university land.“ Otherwise, we will peacefully protest by using all possible options.”