TOBA TEK SINGH: Scores of students of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) closed university gates and blocked traffic on Jail Road and Narwala Road on Monday in protestagainst the university management over a 25 per cent increase in theirfees.

Islami Jamiat Tulaba university nazim Muhammad Usman said they had been protesting for the last three weeks for their rights. He condemned the police baton charge on protesting students, due to which two students were injured.

He said their protest would continue until their demands were met.According to an IJT press statement, they met CPO Syed Khalid MahmoodHamdani and City AC Waqas Safdar Sil(andri, and it was decided that both officials would arbitrate negotiations between students and the UAF management.

It went on to say that the fees should be reduced appropriately and that no disciplinary action should be taken against the students.

Meanwhile, at a `Gur mela` arranged by the UAF Directorate of Farms, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said the university was forced to raise the fees due to mounting operating expenses and the country`s economic crisis. However, a portion of the increased fees would be refunded once the country`s financial situation improved.

He said some students were protesting against the fee hike.

He said due to effective counseling provided by the teaching community, 100 per cent of students have submitted their fees.

He also thanl(ed the parents, who understood the economicsituation of the country and deposited the fees. He said peaceful protest was the fundamental right of every citizen, butif the protesters transgress the limits, action becomes inevitable.

He said the Faisalabad CPO, in order to ensure peace at the UAF, had recommended formation of a committee to negotiate with the protesters.

Negotiations would be held over one to two days.

He said the university had not increased the fees for the last three years, due to which the financial burden on the institution was continuously increasing. If UAF fees were compared with those of other public sector universities of the city, the university was charging low fees.

He said due to Covid, floods and other issues, the country was facing an economic crunch.

The UAF utility bill expenditure, which was standing at Rs156 million 10 years ago, had increased to Rs362 million in2020-21. However, in the financial year 2021-22, the utility bill budget jumped by 100pc and crossed Rs700m due to increasing costs at the national level.

Therefore, owing to financial crisis, the university syndicate in its September 2022 meeting increased the fees by 25pc on account of utility bills and other rising expenditures. The fee was last increased in 2019.

In September last year, he said, the fees increase was postponed for a semester due to the flooding situation, and now it was being implemented to run the financial affairs. With this, the university would get additional Rs190m, whereas its expenditures had gone up manifold.

He said the UAF was providing numerous scholarships to thousands of deserving students from underprivileged backgrounds. In 2021-22, up to 6,645 students benefitted from scholarships, while those who were unable to pay the fees on time were given the facility topay in installments.

He said fairs play an important role in exposing the youth to eastern traditions and rural culture. He said the UAF was the custodian of rural culture.

`The nations that keep their generations connected with their glorious past and traditions set new heights of development with their unique identity in the world.

He said a farmer`s convention was being organised in the first week of March.

ACCIDENT: A woman died and her two daughters and a minor grandson were injured when their car was hit from behind by another car on Monday near the Pirmahal interchange.

Rescue 1122 said the deceased was identified as Jannat Bibi, while the injured included her daughters Somia Bibi and Samreen and grandson Ramzan Waseem.

The injured were shifted to the Pirmahal Tehsil Headquarters Hospital.