KARACHI: Hearing a constitutional petition filed by hundreds of students of faculty of law, University of Karachi who were barred from appearing in first and second year exams, a division bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed on Tuesday the bench directed the respondents to allow them in exams scheduled from March 22.
Munsif Jan advocate represented the law students while Moin Azhar Siddiqui appeared for the University and a law college. Akhtar Hussain advocate represented the Sindh Bar Council and Pakistan Bar Council.
The bench at the outset of the todays proceedings asked the counsel for University to show the relevant rules which bars a student from appearing in exam. As the book of rules was not available, the hearing was put off for a while. After half an hour case was called again. The counsel for University of Karachi was unable to show to the court any rule. He however submitted that as per university rule a candidate must secure at least 50 per cent marks while PBC has lowered this to 40 per cent and also recommended changing three year program into a five year programme. He conceded that University has approved PBC rule of 40 per cent.
The bench said that in view of above statement, the students having 40 per cent marks are eligible to sit in the exams. As a matter of interim arrangement, the court ordered that admit cards be issued to the students and also the result could not be withheld unless ordered by the court.