Karachi Universities shift to virtual classes as fuel prices surge

KARACHI: The University of Karachi (KU) and the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) have decided to hold virtual classes to conserve fuel following the sharp increase in petroleum prices, triggered by the US-Israel war with Iran.

According to the KU administration, all morning classes will move online from March 9 until the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The university cited transport difficulties caused by the rise in fuel prices as the main reason for the shift.

FUUAST’s Karachi campus will conduct online classes from March 11 to 16, after which the semester break will begin. The Islamabad campus of FUUAST will also implement virtual classes from March 9 to 27.

Sources indicated that the federal government has been considering online education as part of a broader “national action plan” to adjust work and education routines across the country in a bid to conserve energy.

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Other measures under review include reduced office attendance, remote work for corporate and IT sectors, and staggered schedules to reduce overall energy consumption. Telecom and IT companies are reportedly evaluating similar arrangements, while government offices may require only essential staff to work on-site, with others performing duties remotely.

The move comes a day after the federal government increased petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre each, reflecting the pressures of rising global oil costs on domestic energy supplies.