Sir: The University of Karachi is the most famous university of the city and, while the education and studies there remain of a high quality, clashes between members of different political parties take place almost all the time on the campus. This phenomenon is spoiling the atmosphere of this university. While there is still some discipline, the Rangers and police are not trying to control the clashes. Karachi University is remarkable, but the political parties are making it unbearable. It is a big question what political parties are doing in an educational institution at all. A few weeks back a boy was beaten badly near the department of food science and technology. Both his legs were broken and he was not even in a condition to ask for help from students and teachers who were standing nearby, though none had the guts to stop all this. The police came after the incident was over. It is not only students but also teachers who are unsafe here. Many times teachers have also become victims of these party members. This is a common occurrence that has been happening for many years. I have also heard that some students keep guns for their protection or their party’s protection. It is not just this university either — – political parties have spread their tentacles into most colleges all over Pakistan. This may be the reason that our country is not making any progress, and why we are stuck just where we were right before independence. Now we are slaves of political leaders while then we were slaves of the British. TAHIRA NASEEMKarachi