ISLAMABAD: The student who chanted “Go Nawaz Go” during Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal’s speech at Preston University, has reportedly been expelled.
According to a Roznama Express news report, the incident took place when Iqbal was speaking at the book launching ceremony for Dr Azizur Rehman Bughio’s new tome "The True Face of Islam" at Preston Unversity.
As the student started to chant anti-Nawaz slogans, the university’s registrar, Dr AW Baloch, stood on the stage and forced the protester out of the room.
The planning and development minister asked whether if this was the political education being imparted to students that they raise such slogans during a literary event.
“Is this what youngsters are learning from these sit-ins?”
Iqbal added that youth were the country’s valuable assets, and he had asked the university’s administration to explain to the student about improving his behaviour.
Sources say the student has been expelled from the university for his sloganeering.
However, the university has refuted allegations that it had expelled the student. In a statement on the un-defaced main page of the site, the university say the student in question had not been expelled and was still attending classes.
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What a shame! Since the past four days some news about the suspension of a student of Preston University has been circulating in the print, electronic and social media. The charge that is being leveled against the university is that it has terminated one of its students for chanting the slogan ‘Go Nawaz Go’ at a function held at the university on Sep 23, presided by the Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal. The tirade brazenly launched against the university in the print and electronic media and the social media, I have no hesitation in saying is below the dignity of any civilized society. The language that is being used, particularly in the social media, reflects nothing but the background of those who are shamelessly involved in using such atrocious language against the university. What is indeed more shocking is that some reputed TV Channels and their anchors of high stature had the impudence to blow the issue of out of proportation, perhaps to augment the rating of their channels….. What a shame! I am not saying this without any basis. The tantrum of the electronic and the social media vis-à-vis the issue actually raised my curiosity and compelled me to find out from the university concerned as to what was the factual position regarding the matter under reference. I was categorically told by the authorities concerned that the incident did happen but the student, as being basely reported in the electronic and social media, has neither been suspended nor expelled. They also informed me that a rebuttal relating to the matter has also been placed on the university website and social media. Under the circumstances, am I not fully justified in concluding that whatever has appeared and continues to appear and discussed in the electronic and social media by the eminent anchorpersons and the other so called respectable citizens of this country, against the concerned university and regarding the issue in question, is totally unfounded? I think every sane person would agree I am. Would it be too much then to expect from the media and people of this country to tender an unconditional apology to the university concerned for publishing/airing such baseless and shameless diatribe against it without ascertaining the facts? Ifrah Aazam
No one expelled, ET should act responsibly and clarify. https://www.facebook.com/Preston.University/photos/a.329667160446342.77108.326127687466956/713450672067987/?type=1&theater
@Grace: shows a vaderah mindset - freedom of expression cannot be curtailed in this era with such ridiculous actions.....the nation has changed and has been able to understand the truth; such barricades would only further strength their thought of immature leadership and its incompetency!....government needs to show magnanimity rather than reacting emotionally on such petty matters.
Despite being a hard core democracy supporter and proponent of democratic system, i am ashamed to say that even General Musharaf had exhibited more political behavior than these champion proponents of democracy, he had the courage to take criticism on face from student in convocation center.
Respected Mr. Ahsan Iqbal need to understand that democracy is a behavior which evolve into the system and why it's applauded because it addresses the need of masses unlike what's happening currently in their tenure.
@Grace: I wonder if you are from Pakistan and understand the long history of non delivery and just rhetoric of our political leaders. Had you had suffered in Pakistan, you would have never made such a hasty comment without knowing the background :(
Ahsan Iqbal was himself involved in politics as a student and I am a witness to a lot worse and illegal behaviour on UET campus including weapons and shooting which is a lot worse than a student excercising his legal freedom of speech. This is why this government and Nawaz must GO. Go Nawaz Go.
our all public sector univerisities have well established political wings.
The University must be sued. Freedom of speech is everybody's right. Go Nawaz Go. Go Corrupt Go. Go Nizam Go.
@Babar Khan: Uh huh? What should i do? When I'm stopped at a red light and some one crosses, should I get out and lie across the road? And stop crime? You want me to become Batman? Should I start chasing down criminals in my spare time? And the same for your other silly ideas...
The fact is that I live in a democracy and I pay my taxes... the whole point of which is to delegate these responsibilities to people who can be held accountable. If they fail to perform their jobs then it is up to me to criticise them and protest against their incompetence and/or dishonesty!
@Nazir:
I spent many years as graduate student here and witnessed political and social activities at campus but never in the classrooms when a teacher is teaching or an invited guest is lecturing. The thought in every body's mind in the class room is that all are here to listen and learn. If some one wants to participate in political gatherings, please do but not in the class room.
Looking at the performance of PML N goverment of past 18 months,this slogan Go Nawaz Go is a very natural reaction under the present circumstances.Student has shown the courage and must be awarded scholarship to get education in another better university.I will request this student to contact Dr Abdul Wahab VC Mohd Ali Jinah University Karachi.He is a wonderful educationist and would certaining guide this courageous young man to be useful educated citizen for this country.
Student should get a lawyer and sue the University for obstructing his right of free speech.
Mr. Ahsan Iiqbal was president of student union of Islamic Jamiat Talaba at UET Lahore in 1980 when I was in first year. Being president of student union, he himself indulged in similar behavior which he does not like now which is quite strange.
@Grace: What a disgraceful comment from someone who claims to be "Grace". If a university invites a government official to a ceremony, and that too from a government that is highly controversial right now and their election is suspect, then they should be ready for students excercising their freedom of speech. At most the university should have forced the student to leave the room so the "(dis)honorable" guest could continue, but to expel him from the university shows the lack of judgement from the university management. It sent the wrong message. For your information, in the West a university would have never have expelled the student from it as they are ardent believers in the freedom of speech.
“The planning and development minister asked whether if this was the political education being imparted to students that they raise such slogans during a literary event.” I wonder if this would have been his reaction if the student had shouting slogans in favour of Nawaz Sharif. From what I heard Nawaz has managed to turn many a non-political event into a PMLN rally… Ahsan Iqbal must have been furious on all those occasions! But of course,…. that student must learn that this country is made for sacred cows like ahsan iqbal and his leaders to plunder… College students need to learn to accept their fate without complaint… Unfortunately these dharnas are teaching people that they should raise their voice against the dishonest and the corrupt…. this just will not do!
The mass of social order of a country is like an integral body. Its limbs are all walks of lives like lawyers, teachers, students, labor, army et al. When the soul and mind of the body is sick, the limbs must come to the rescue of the collective self.
Students must not be treated as aloof or immune to the going on’s in the system. If we don’t like what we hear, we should extinguish the fire that is causing the smoke. And, not treat the cries of the ones in pain with bayonet or baton.
Who brought Bhutto up? The students did – by losing a precious year of their schooling.
Who forced the US government to get out of Viet Nam? The students in great part did.
Students have been, are and shall remain the most sensible and sensitive representatives of the collective self.
Let us not destroy this asset. Let us secure it, protect it and nurture it. We need it.
If Ahsan Iqbal cannot take the heat of the kitchen, he should stay out !!!!!!
go nawaz go
How could the sycophants expel a student over expressing his democratic right in a "democracy" ??
badshah salamath expelled a protestor..there is no room for protesting agianst a badshah..after all you are ruled by a king..how can you do it mr student???
This is education that teach u to distinguish between wrong and right . so if u see something wrong is going on, you must stop it even if the pace is Kabba.
What was Ahsan Iqbal doing at a literary event? Couldn't the university find a literary speaker? I am sure this bloke must have said something in praise of the government in his talk, to instigate the student.
Please apply in NUML..
So oppressing students is the best way to suppress people voice.
Nawaz Sharif and company limited (PML-N) is gradually loosing its popularity,credibility and trustworthiness first by Afzal Khan's statement regarding rigging in May 2013's elections and later most especially importantly after publishing the ECP's report regarding irregularities in May 2013's elections and has lost patience and tolerance and this expel of a student is the live example of its impatience and intolerance.....
On merit base a Preston university student may not qualify for NUML
I suppose the doors of NUML are open for the young lad!
i wonder how ik would behave if patients shouted go imran go in shaukat khanum.
@Grace:
You Complete fool! The same western Universities "DO NOT EXPEL" their students for freedom of speech! Stop embarrassing yourself with their examples.
Very shame in whole world people can express but you can not kick them this way. In the end I will say GO NAWAZ GO GO NAWAZ GO GO NAWAZ GO GO NAWAZ GO
What a disgrace @ Grace
For all those who are intellectually retarded enough to think that Schools are not a place to voice your opinions, please visit this amazing new website called Google and try looking up expressions of freedom (even political freedom) on campuses and especially during lectures/talks/debates.
The university has a right to remove the student from the event disrupted. The university has NO right to expel the student. But then if the University can name itself Preston University, it can pretty much do anything.
sari youth ki aik awaz Go nawaz,go nawaz...
If Mr. Iqbal is so worried about keeping students away from the politics, why don't he finish their Student Federation who are motivated to chant 'Mian Teray Jaan Nisar' slogans and 'Sher Aya Sher Aya'? I strongly condemn the decision of the management to expel the student from the University, asking or forcing him to leave the auditorium was enough.
Preston University is already a fraud that used name similar to Princeton to fool the poor students and their parents. It seems that NS&Co. has a big share in the loot profits of Preston.
What do you expect from 3rd class uni such as preston.These people should learn the true meaning of democracy where people have the right to freedom of speech which means they can say what they want ,when they want. Also those people saying it must have been a pti supporter should remember that the student was saying go nawaz go not come imran come,what has nawaz sharif ever done for the country ,right now his people are homeless due the floods ,most of the people are dyeing due to starvation and due to other lack of basic necessities and nawaz sharif is staying the most expensive hotel in uk,what for so he can beg for more money and why do these people keep saying that they lost heavy business from china when they really should be saying that they didn't get the charity what china was going to give.
Ahsan Iqbal himself comes from Islami Jamiat-e-Talbah, were all his student union activities during his unversity days according to the literary etiquette?
Did not they killed Governor of Punjab. Just because he was on side of Poor Pakistani Christian.
That's no loss for the student. "Preston University" is a joke anyway.
"Iqbal added that youth were the country’s valuable assets" ..as long as they keep being docile and supporting our govt.
@Imran: Actually you are supporting suppression.
@Grace: Shame on you to support the expulsion. This is part of the democracy by NS and Co. Doob Maro Sharam Sei. You are ruining the educational chances of some students. I would like to know the owner of this Sham University.
Preston University is an HEC approved diploma mill. Everybody knows it.
What if that student had shouted " GO IMRAN GO" ? Please note Mr. Ahsan Iqbal and the Likes... It is NOT the Dharnaas, but the Corrupt Leaders of this country that have compelled the public to come out and voice their emotions. The Dharnaas have given them the ' Awareness' and 'Courage' to do so.
@Grace: People in the west also get corrupt politicians to resign... they dont start covering up for them!
No freedom of speech in so called democracy ?
Peaceful protest is our right. This fake university and the fake minister need to understand this. This protest was peaceful. The fake university should be ashamed of itself.
Big Applaud for the brave kid... NS and his men will keep seeing it onward.
Well done. Educational institutes are not a place for this behavior .
"The planning and development minister asked whether if this was the political education being imparted to students that they raise such slogans during a literary event."
I wonder if this would have been his reaction if the student had shouting slogans in favour of Nawaz Sharif. From what I heard Nawaz has managed to turn many a non-political event into a PMLN rally... Ahsan Iqbal mustve been furious on all those occasions!
But of course,.... that student must learn that this country is made for sacred cows like ahsan iqbal and his leaders to plunder... College students need to learn to accept their fate without complaint...
Unfortunately these dharnas are teaching people that they should raise their voice against the dishonest and the corrupt.... this just will not do!
Good to hear that this childish protester was expelled. Raising political slogans during a literary event shows the mindset of some PTI supporters who prefer parties to studying or working hard. I imagine he has the typical quick fix lazy attitude that expects change overnight without effort. People in the West work for years for improvement in their countries - not just a few late night dharnas with music.