KARACHI: The University of Karachi (KU) is presenting the picture of funfair these days as the administration has allowed student groups to hold all kinds of entertainment activities on the campus in the ongoing Students` Week, a violation of its own recently issued notification, it emerged on Thursday.

The activities that range from amusement rides, food stalls, talent shows to music and dance festivals have attracted a lot of criticism from visitors and teachers, though.

Speaking to Dawn, they said that the annual event which was meant for enhancing students` skills through intellectual debates, discussions, poetic competitions and book fairs, had been ruined thanks to the university administration.

`It`s ironic to see that a university tradition has lost its meaning. In fact, it has become a bazaar. It`s tarnishing the image of both the university and students, said Dr Shakeel Farooqui senior teacher and executive member of the Karachi University Teachers` Society.

The university registrar had issued a notification on September 8 according to which all programmes and student activities should be closed on or before 4pm daily.

`Invitation and participation of any celebrity from outside the university is strictly prohibited. There will be no use of the sound system and no programme will be held in and around the university administration block,` the notification says.

It directs students to get all swings removed from the administration parking ground with immediate effect.

Not a single official directive, however, has been followed and implemented bythe university administration over the past two days of the Students` Week.

Rumours were also circulating on the campus on Thursday that the student adviser had resigned over non-compliance with the notification.

`We had organised a lecture by a security analyst today and were too troubled by the loud sound system being used in the faculty`s lawns,` said Prof Moonis Ahmer, the dean of the faculty of social sciences.

According to him, he had requested the university authorities as well as the Rangers to stop students from disturbing academic environment, but no action was taken by the university administration.

`It is a matter of utter shame and disgrace that the university administration hasn`t been able to implement its own notification.

Upon contact, university registrar Dr Moazzam Ali Khan said that the notification issued by him needed to be implemented by advisers on security and student affairs and they should be contacted for a comment on non-compliance.

KU campus security adviser Dr Mohammad Zubair said the university notification was issued a bit late that gave an excuse to students to bring all the funfair paraphernalia to the campus.

`Students argued that they had already paid an amount to swing contractors and withdrawing the order would cause a financial loss to them. Sometimes, we have to accept what students are saying. But, this will end today (Friday),` he said.

Although `no formal permission` had been given to students for the activities that they arranged on the campus, they organised them and it was difficult to prevent violation in all cases, he added.