Gilgit-Baltistan: Students' protest against KIU fee hike gets support from local leaders, activists

Gilgit [PoK], October 19 : The student protest against the fee hike at Karakoram International University (KIU) in Gilgit has snowballed into a public outrage against the Pakistan-backed administration.

It has been months since protests erupted in the illegally occupied territory against the university and the local administration.

Resenting the university's decision to increase the fee by 85 per cent within a year, the parents, activists and local political leaders have joined the protests as well.

Afaq Balawar, a student activist of KIU highlighting the vice-chancellor's incompetence in running the university said, "Today, I have this document in my hand which says the vice chancellor has increased the university fee by 85 per cent, however as per the university's rules and regulations, only up to 10 per cent hike is applicable. I think the other 75 per cent hike is done by the vice chancellor to fulfil his desire to own a petrol pumping station."

The students and the protestors blame the university's vice-chancellor for splurging the board revenue on his personal whims and fancies.

The protestors warned the administration against a 'civil disobedience movement' if they do not roll back the fee hike decision.

"We would like to warn the administration and this incompetent vice-chancellor that if within a week this notice of fee hike is not rolled back, we will be standing against them in a civil disobedience movement. We will raise slogans saying, "Don't pay university fees", Afaq Balwar said while addressing a public rally against the university administration.

Fida Hussain, the chairman of the Public Action Committee came out in support of university students and lambasted the Pakistan-backed administration for depriving students of their basic rights. "If someone tries to press you (protestors) and take away your rights, we will organize a 'chakka jam' strike in all of Gilgit Baltistan, Diamer will be jammed, Skardu, Nagar, Hunza all will be jammed!", he said.

Agitated with the university's policies and mismanagement, students and protestors demand an immediate resolution to the fee hike issue. They criticized the administration for appointing an "incompetent" vice chancellor and giving him free rein to splurge the university's resources and revenue.

Sheikh Akbar Hussain, another social activist joining force with the students said, "Increasing fees by 85% within a year, is proof that this vice chancellor is incompetent and will remain so in the future. This person (vice chancellor) was appointed last year through an illegitimate process and this year he would have completed a year. He wants to extend his tenure in an illegitimate manner and make use of the board revenue to fulfil his whims and fancies from the university, we will not let that happen!"

The impoverished region of Gilgit Baltistan has only a few higher education institutionsthe unprecedented fee hike has certainly dashed all hopes of students and their parents to the ground. KIU is the only public-sector university in the region with an enrollment of around ten thousand local students.

Amid spiralling inflation and unreasonable fee hike, the students of the university have become victims of a double whammy.

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