ISLAMABAD: Law enforcement agencies have alerted the administration of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) about threat of a possible terrorist attack.

Following the intimation, Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Eatzaz Ahmad on Monday convened an emergency meeting with all deans and department chairmen to brief them about the nature of the threats against the university.

Sources said the VC, in the meeting, quoted intelligence and police reports which have said that as the university occupied a vast area and was open from all sides it could be an easy target for militants.

He directed those attending the meeting to inform staff to remain vigilant against any suspicious activity, especially at bus terminals. It was also decided that security will be beefed up at the university and no visitors and vehicles would be allowed to enter the university premises without registration.

Text messages about a possible attack were circulated among students and faculty members on Monday which created panic at the university.

`Our university is open from all sides with no boundary wall around it so we have concerns about our security,` said a student of the Economics Department.

`Following the attack, we held a detailed meeting in which we decided to take all possible measures to counter any mishap. But without constructing boundary walls no one can guarantee foolproof security,` said a participant at the meeting.

`There is no specific threat but we were asked by law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant as our university, which is open for all sides could be a soft targetfor terrorists,` said Vice Chancellor Dr Eatzaz Ahmed.

When asked about the boundary wall, he held Capital Development Authority (CDA) responsible for delay in the construction of the wall. `The CDA has been delaying demarcation of university land a step that is required for building boundary walls. We cannot build a boundary until the limits of our land are determined by CDA,` he said.

On the other hand, CDA claimed that possession of land was given to the university in the 60s. `We hadhanded over possession of land to the university so it is their duty to build boundary walls, says Asim Kichi, a spokesman for CDA. Sources in the university told Dawn that a large portion of the university land has been encroached upon by land mafias.

`Our land worth billions of rupees has been illegally occupied by influential people who are creating hurdles in the demarcation process, said a senior faculty member, who asl
The VC, Dr Eatzaz Ahmad, also agreed.

`We believe large portions of our land have been encroached upon. That`s why we are requesting CDA to demarcate our land so that we can take control of the entire 1,700 acres,` he said.

`We have a Rs55 million budget for the boundary wall, but without demarcation of land, we cannot utilise it,` he said.

The VC added thatrecently a delegation from the university, under his leadership, held a meeting with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. In the meeting, they requested him to direct CDA to carry out demarcation.

`On the directive of the interior minister, we have held some meetings with CDA and a few more meetings are expected in the coming days. Let`s see what happens,` he said.