COMSATS Faculty Rejects Probe into Campus Building Collapse
ISLAMABAD – The Academic Staff Association of COMSATS University Islamabad (ASA-CUI) has strongly rejected the formation of a “so-called fact-finding committee” established to probe the recent collapse of the Virtual Campus building, calling the incident a “near-catastrophe” that endangered lives and requires an impartial and authoritative investigation.
In a press release issued by Dr. Junaid Ali, General Secretary of ASA-CUI (Islamabad Campus), the faculty association criticized the internal committee, which reportedly consists of the university’s Treasurer, Registrar, and Controller of Examinations. According to ASA-CUI, the committee was informally constituted without an official notification, clear mandate, or terms of reference, and all its members are closely associated with the current Acting Rector.
“The lives of faculty and staff were at serious risk. Only a last-minute evacuation prevented potential fatalities,” the statement read, emphasizing that the collapse was not a minor administrative error but a “grave structural failure” exposing dangerous levels of negligence and mismanagement.
ASA-CUI expressed complete distrust in the internal committee’s ability to conduct a credible investigation, citing a conflict of interest due to the members’ close ties to the administration potentially responsible for oversight failures.
“The attempt to manage such a critical safety crisis through an opaque, internally managed, and biased mechanism is not just irresponsible—it is institutionally dangerous,” the press release stated.
ASA-CUI reiterated its demand for an independent inquiry, calling for a committee that includes external structural and legal experts, faculty representation, and civil oversight to ensure transparency and accountability.
The association warned that anything less would be seen as an attempt to cover up what could amount to criminal negligence, and it reserves the right to pursue the matter through legal and public channels to safeguard the rights and safety of the university community.
