The land swap deal with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the Bhara Kahu bypass project was conditionally approved on Wednesday by the supreme decision-making body of Quaid-i-Azam University after receiving support from nine of the syndicate’s twelve members.
A joint working committee (JAC) was also established by the syndicate under the direction of QAU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mohammad Ali to finalize suggestions for addressing all unresolved issues between the varsity and the CDA.
These recommendations would be presented during the syndicate’s upcoming meeting, which is scheduled for the following week.
Three representatives from QAU and CDA will make up the seven-member JAC, while Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, additional secretary of education, will head the working group.
According to the information provided, 12 members of the syndicate were present at the meeting—seven in person and five online.
Nine of the members supported the deal with the CDA for the sake of the public interest. The members who backed the move stated that if the CDA was providing alternative land in the same area, there was no harm for QAU in accepting the land exchange.
However, three members, including a senior dean of QAU and two faculty representatives, completely disagreed with the decision and argued that university property should not be used for the road project.
They emphasized the institution’s problematic relationship with the CDA, claiming that despite the passage of time, the demarcation of the university’s territory was still pending, and highlighted encroachments on the university land.
According to an earlier assessment of the Bhara Kahu project, the civic body was expected to use at least 650 kanal of the QAU land for the road project.
Additionally, the CDA eventually revised the road’s alignment and the syndicate was informed that just 199 kanals of the varsity property would be used for the project.
A proposal for an allotment of 225 kanal, or at least 26 kanal more of land, had previously been made in a letter of offer from the CDA to QAU.
Additionally, it was disclosed to the syndicate that CDA had promised in writing to level this area of land so the QAU could make use of it.
It should be noted that despite opposition from the faculty at QAU to the project on university property, the CDA claimed that the civic body had decided to pass through the university area for the road in June of this year, in the presence of VC Dr. Mohammad Ali, and that the civic body would give the university alternative land as part of a land swap deal.
Recently, CDA Chairman Mohammad Usman established a committee in an effort to address problems with the university.
He directed CDA’s member estate and other concerned authorities’ visits to QAU, who eventually determined a suitable location for the QAU in return for the university’s property.
