KARACHI: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has gifted eight refurbished buses to Karachi University (KU) amid growing concerns over the university’s poor condition, inadequate transport facilities and lack of government support.
At a ceremony on Thursday, JI chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman handed over the buses to KU Vice Chancellor Dr Waseem Qazi.
The buses were refurbished by JI town administrations as a gift to the university, which serves more than 45,000 students. The ceremony was attended by JI town chairmen, party leaders, student representatives, KU teachers and other staff members.
Speaking on the occasion, Hafiz Naeem said JI would continue supporting university students whenever they raised their voices for their rights.
He also called for the restoration of student unions, saying their absence for 42 years had weakened democratic traditions and kept educated people away from politics.
He said that the KU once operated 125 buses for 8,000 students, but today lacked adequate transport arrangements for its more than 45,000 students.
The JI chief said student unions would allow students to elect their representatives every year and help replace campus fights and disputes with healthy activities.
These platforms would also give students opportunities to develop their speaking and debating skills, while encouraging women to take part in public life and helping society produce capable and sensible leaders.
He described student unions as nurseries of democracy and said their prolonged ban had prevented the educated class from coming forward in politics.
“Politics is the name of service and worship, but unfortunately, feudal and landlords have occupied the political field,” Hafiz Naeem expressed concern over the condition of universities across the country, saying the state of KU was particularly painful to witness.
He said the campus had become overgrown with bushes and weeds, its departments were in a dilapidated condition, and the Sindh government was not providing the university with grants.
He urged the students to raise their voices effectively for their rights and assured them that JI would support them on every front.
He said education in the country had been confined to a few hands and the school system was also in disarray. He announced that JI would gift more buses to KU next year. The JI chief also criticized the petroleum levy, saying students paid Rs130 in taxes on every litre of petrol, including Rs80 in what he called an “extortion tax” that was unrelated to the petroleum price.
He said abolishing the levy would substantially reduce petrol prices and help the economy grow. He warned that JI would lead a long march to Islamabad if the government failed to withdraw the levy, adding that the people would have to fight for their rights against “cartels and mafias”.
He also expressed concern over the growing use of drugs in educational institutions and the lack of positive activities for students. He said JI would work to engage young people in constructive activities.
Hafiz Naeem announced that JI would issue at least 2,000 Taleem Cards for KU students to help address their problems.
He said around 1.7 million people from across the country had registered for the party’s Bano Qabil programme and announced plans to align it with advanced artificial intelligence technology.
Karachi JI chief Monem Zafar also added that the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) at the KU had turned its slogan, “Whatever effort we make, it should be for the university,” into a reality by helping provide the buses.
He said the gift reflected JI’s commitment to working beyond its obligations, adding that the party had promised to do more for the university.
KU Vice Chancellor Dr Waseem Qazi said 47,000 students travelled to and from the university daily. With the addition of the eight refurbished buses, the university would have a total fleet of 33 buses, he said.
At least 100 buses would be needed to cater to the transport needs of female students alone, who account for 30 per cent of the university’s student population.
The vice chancellor paid tribute to Hafiz Naeem for taking the initiative to address students’ transport problems. He said the university was continuously taking steps for its development, stressing that universities prepared the nation’s future leaders and professionals.
However, education had increasingly become a business, he said, adding that collective efforts were needed to improve the university.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026