ISLAMABAD: The Quaid-i-Azam University students on Friday protested against the (varsity) administration`s decision to phase out linguistic department.

The QAU will not offer admissions in linguistic department from next session.

The protesting students marched from linguistic department to Administration department, which houses VC office.

The students of the department demanded the Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr.

Javid Ashraf withdraw the decision as closing the department would be a sheer injustice with them.

`Shortage of funding is a pathetic excuse for closing the department,` said Ali Hussain Brimani, a protesting student, adding the university administration should seek funds from the governemnt.

`Though, we have been provided a chance to complete our degrees, but closure of the department will leave negative impact on our future,` he said.

He said that currently over 100 students are pursuing their education in pure linguistic department, who can significantly contribute to the promotion of languages.

`I myself is doing thesis on Eastern Hill Balochi language. The last work on this language was done some 100 year back...the closure of the department mean closure of research in languages because this is the only department in Pakistan,` he said.

When contacted, the acting registrar of QAU, Dr Safia Ahmed, said the department was opened on experimental basis some five years ago.

`Since the output of the department is not satisfactory, we have decided to close it down,` she said, adding that the varsity syndicate has also approved the closure of this department in phases.