LAHORE: Liked the laptops? Now pay more fee

Punjab University Vice Chancellor Mujahid Kamran, selected by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, has decided to go one step ahead in destroying the CM’s efforts to lure the youth into voting for him in the upcoming elections by raising the PU examination fee by a whole 20 percent, Pakistan Today learnt on Tuesday. “This move is going to hit the poor students the hardest and we condemn the CM and his blue-eyed VC for making this decision without taking this into consideration,” students said, adding “Why did the Punjab government not give funds to the PU if they felt the need to raise exam fee? What is the point of laptops when we are going to have to pay increased fee for sitting in exams?” “This standard adopted by the CM is hypocritical. On one hand he is raising the slogans of going out of his way to facilitate the youth, especially the poor, in acquiring education. On the other hand he has raised the examination fee,” they said. Meanwhile, student unions across various campuses have also condemned the move and have announced protest demonstrations all over the province if the decision is not taken back. PU holds examinations for BA/BSc and MA/MSc in various colleges affiliated to it all over the province. Recently, a 20 percent in the BA/BSc and a 10 percent increase in the MA/ MSc examination fees were announced. This decision is going to effect students from far-flung areas of Bahawalpur, Hafizabad, Lahore and Sialkot, sources said. “The CM and the VC seem to be beyond any and all accountability. We are poor, every day is a battle to earn livelihood and such news come as salt to our wounds,” said Sabiha Bibi, a mother of a BA student, adding “there has never been any government in Punjab that is as anti-education as Shahbaz Sharif’s.” A PU student who got a laptop three months ago under Punjab CM’s laptop scheme, said the students too were annoyed with the CM over this decision. “The PU administration is trying to make up for the money it spent on the distribution ceremony,” she added. “I am willing to return my laptop if the fee raise is taken back,” another student said. “I have no idea why the fee is being raised,” an official of PU, asking not to be named, said, adding that the university was a public institution and the examination fee should not be so high. STUDENT UNIONS VOW TO LAUNCH MOVEMENT: Activists of the students unions have also opposed the increase in the fees. PU Islami Jamiat-e-Taliba IJT Nazim Haq Nawaz said the CM had gone back on his promise of reducing fee. Insaf Students Federation General Secretary Waqas Iftikhar said CM was spending billions on advertisements campaigns but there was no relief for the poor. He said spending people’s money on advertisement was cruelty. MSF VP Tanvir Gujjer said students were ready to come on roads against the Punjab government if it does not stop PU administration. He said this increase in fee was irrational and would be opposed.