Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) on Monday criticised Sindh Education Minister Dr Hameeda Khuhro for her denationalisation policy and announced to launch a protest campaign in collaboration with other teachers and student organisations against handing over of educational institutions to private parties.
It also denounced a statement by an ethnic students' organisation in favour of giving St. Pat's and St. Joseph's colleges to the Catholic Education Board and alleged that supporters of the US agenda for Pakistan were creating unrest among people by giving such statements.
Addressing a press conference, IJT office-bearers Syed Tahir Akbar, Taufique Siddiqui and Syed Ahmed Nauman said the US and European intervention into Pakistan's educational affairs was increasing and it could be judged from denationalisation of two public colleges of Karachi.
"Everybody knows that the move to hand over two nationalised colleges to the Catholic board was taken on foreign intervention," they charged, adding that it was a conspiracy against residents of Karachi and Sindh.
They also praised the City Council Karachi for adopting a unanimous resolution against denationalisation of educational institutions.
IJT representatives bitterly criticised Sindh Education Minister Dr Hameeda Khuhro for defending denationalisation and giving more educational institutions back to the previous owners and alleged that she was made minister just to fulfil the US and West's agenda.
On the occasion, they announced that on August 19, 2004 black day would be observed at educational institutions against denationalisation of these two colleges and a protest campaign would be launched in collaboration with other organisations of students and teachers against the denationalisation policy.