The News on Sunday -- May 23, 99

Guarding their range

The presence of Rangers at Karachi University upsets the rhythm of campus life. Hussain Askari examines the options

Think of the term University and you think of a sprawling campus, leafy trees, sidewalk cafeterias, several laboratories, age old libraries and high ceilinged lecture rooms. Think of the Karachi University and the first impression that now strikes you is that of hundreds of rangers deployed at various points around the campus.

The year 1999 is the tenth year of the ranger's deployment at Karachi University. In July 1989 the law enforcement agency was brought in after the brutal murder of three activists of the Peoples Student Federation in the campus. Though the situation has been relatively calm ever since the rangers were deployed, two months back the murder of an activist of Punjabi Student Association (PSA) and the recent death of chief photographer of Jang newspaper has once again raised a pertinent but somewhat overlooked question. For how long will our powers that be in Islamabad rely on short term and myopic measures?

Right from the beginning the country has been governed through short term policies and adhoc mentality. Like the quota system, there are a lot of examples when short term emergency measures were adopted to address a particular problem. But later on they became a permanent feature of the system and our policy makers easily get away with it because of the absence of any system of accountability.

The situation at the Karachi University cannot be seen in isolation to the socio-political trends of the rest of the country. Instead of identifying and tapping the root causes, most issues are tackled superficially without realising its future impact. Worst it would appear that nobody is bothered about the future.

The deployment of rangers -- or that of any other law enforcement agency -- can only ever be justified as an emergency measure. Never is it a permanent solution to any national or institutional problem.

Karachi University, as a case in particular, is the victim of sheer negligence and a deplorable lack of will on the part of successive governments and university administration. After the deployment of rangers, university administration should, in that very first year, have evolved a long term formula to forge a permanent solution to the crisis. Teacher student cooperation committees could have been formed. More and more extra-curricular activities could be offered to the students -- long acknowledged internationally as the best way to create discipline in the ranks. The continuous deployment of rangers casts a negative impact on students' psyche. What can one expect from a student who imbibes education under the shadow of strict security arrangements -- continuously reinforcing the belief that he is not mature enough to appear in any examination or any other academic activity without a law enforcing agency personnel monitoring his every move.

Student organisations are also held responsible by many for the presence of rangers in the campus. Their irresponsible attitude not only disturbs peace at the campus but also gives the justification for the deployment of rangers to be continued. Most students despite being uncomfortable with the presence of rangers, are compelled to agree to the same in order to safeguard a peaceful and uninterrupted completion of their academic period.

Most student organisations are a part and parcel of different political parties and work for the political agenda of their parent organisations. The News on Sunday (TNS) talks to some politicians who belong to those parties whose student wings really matter at the campus.

Talking to TNS, professor Ghafoor Ahmed, Naib Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami the parent party of Islami Jamiat Tulba suggests that at the higher level Jamaat-e-Islami and Muttehida Quami Movement (MQM) can sit together to work out a code of ethics for their respective student fronts. He emphasises that it is the need of the hour because the situation at the Karachi University is affecting the progress and development of every student.

"We all have to work towards a single goal, that is lasting peace at the campus, keeping aside our party interests," he emphasised and added that the prolonged deployment of rangers is the contempt of an educational institution and definitely not a solution. Ghafoor alleges that whenever the issue of rangers' removal from Karachi University is raised, one incident or the other occurs which clearly shows that those who brought rangers into the campus do not want them to leave.

Khalid bin Walid, an MQM legislator in the provincial assembly and the member of Karachi University's syndicate says that the seemingly unending deployment of rangers is totally unjustified. It gives Karachi University a garrison like semblance rather than an educational institution. Pointing out the solution, he says that all student organisations should be given a fair chance to get themselves involved in the peace process. So far they have never been given a platform to sit together. In fact there has never been an honest attempt on part of the university administration to work out a single feasible and lasting mechanism.

"The university administration do not want to work hard or take any sort of strain on themselves. Most of the times they try to find the easiest way out, no matter how disastrous its impact. Calling upon rangers was the shortest way out, so they did that," Khalid regrets.

To get a fair idea about how a common student thinks and feels about the situation, TNS reaches out to some students and their reply reflects general feelings at the campus.

Says Fatima: "Karachi University suffers from abnormal conditions. Students belonging to different parties are always finding excuses to fight each other so as to assert their strength. It is because of such conditions always prevalent in the premises that the Rangers presence is justified." She further said that trouble is almost always on the boil. Had the situation been the opposite there would, obviously, be no need for them. According to her one feels highly uncomfortable with their presence as they are misfits in an educational institute. Agreeing with her, another student Zeenat says that rangers are not only misfits but also irritating. "They keep staring at you as if you're an alien or something. I suppose they are not a decent lot. And unfortunately we have to co-exist with them as the condition of the university demands their presence. Who else could keep a check on the these student unions? They are one of the key reasons for the clashes in the premises. I guess there is no other alternative but to have them."

"Just as military dictatorships in the country have been justified with the excuse of controlling the crisis, the presence of Rangers in the University premises seems to be justified as well. And like the movies every time a clash erupts, the Rangers are the last ones to arrive at the scene. This has occurred more than once since I've entered the University. And if these Rangers are working so efficiently how did that tragic incident, when one of our fellows was brutally murdered, take place? I am not saying that they shouldn't be here but they would be much more efficient if they stopped leering at female students and concentrated more on their duty," said an angry student.

Another student is of the opinion that they are never on their posts when on duty -- otherwise they are always lurking about. "I don't exactly feel harassed or uncomfortable by their presence but they certainly are aliens in the premises."

An ex-student vehemently said: "I don't think the presence of the Rangers is justified. No where in the world do you find police and other forces in universities. Every one is allowed to move freely in universities all around the world -- England for example. It really is a shame. Karachi University is solid substantive proof that the government has a grudge against Karachi. You don't see Rangers in the educational institutions in the Punjab. There have been so many riots in universities there for instance the UET. But Rangers were never deployed there. The environment was much better before the arrival of the Rangers. I think by the passage of time it has worsened. It was nearly the end of my final year when the Rangers arrived. And I have seen various female students harassed by them. Some even complained about it. Rangers are basically jahil to put it accurately. They don't get training for behaving in an educational institute. I blame the political parties. When they know that the Rangers are after their lives then they should be smart enough to have their fights elsewhere and outside the University premises. Then the administration is to be blamed. I feel sorry for the students. They do not even realise what they are missing and neither can they differentiate as they do not know any better. And if they say that the presence of Rangers is justified then I certainly do not blame them."

The brutal murder of one PSA activist and many other fast emerging minor incidents of violence reinforce a known fact - the continuous deployment of rangers is fast making them ineffective. This happens most of the times when temporary arrangements are worked out to be considered as permanent solutions. The Karachi University saga is a part of crisis the entire city of Karachi is going through where mere administrative measures are conceived by successive governments to address long term socio-economic and political issues. The Governor's rule in Sindh, the quota system and induction of army officials in different departments are some examples of this continuing myopic mentality.