Pakistan

LUMS cancels talk featuring Mama Qadeer

A talk featuring Baloch human rights activist was scheduled for 9pm today at the university

Web Desk April 08, 2015

Screengrab of event page

Lahore University of Management Sciences cancelled on Wednesday a scheduled talk featuring Baloch human rights activist Mama Qadeer, following unverified reports of pressure from government officials.

Abdul Qadeer Baloch, known as Mama Qadeer, is the founder of a group working for information on people who have “disappeared” during the long-running conflict between the government and Baloch separatist movements.

A talk, ‘Un-silencing Balochistan’ was scheduled for 9pm at the university today, featuring guest speakers Mama Qadeer, activist Mohammed Ali Talpur, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan director I A Rehman, Secretary General Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VMPB) Farzana Majeed, Quaid-e-Azam University professor Aasim Sajjad and human rights activist Sajjad Changezi.

The talk was to be moderated by Rashid Rahman, the editor of Daily Times. However, a couple of hours before the conference, the university cancelled the event.

COMMENTS (35)

ilyas | 9 years ago | Reply @LUMS Response: If LUMS think that banned Baloch groups deserved a place in its auditorium to defend their point of view than, please first call TTP and other banned outfits. Give them opportunity to justify killing of children in APS Peshawer. After all there is no difference between killing those children in Peshawar and many settlers, mostly laborers, in Balochistan. There is no parallel between these balochs and any freedom fighter. However, they are fully synch with TTP take and give 5%.

javed | 9 years ago | Reply very unfortunate.. when will our state institutions learn

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LUMS Response | 9 years ago | Reply A university is a place for freedom of thought and speech; where critical thinking is nurtured in an academic setting with a view to developing a sense of judicious understanding of public life both past and present. In this regards under the re-mapping justice series, an event scheduled at LUMS for the 9th of April 2015 had to be cancelled on orders from the government, which was most unfortunate indeed. LUMS is committed to working with the government to find a way to allow the university to hold analytical talks on various topics that need to be debated in an objective and unbiased manner. A University is the ultimate place for production of knowledge. LUMS is proud of its thirty year legacy of pushing the frontiers in Pakistan's academic landscape that is evidenced through the excellence of our students, the rigor of our scholarship and the commitment of the entire LUMS community - faculty, staff, and students - to build a deeper understanding of our world, our region and our country. We are proud that all such discussions have taken place in an academic environment that is collegial and respectful of all citizens, as well as diverging points of view.

Moona | 9 years ago | Reply @Mariam A: No, only the organizers were enraged.

Naqi Akbar | 9 years ago | Reply kindly correct Human Rights Corporation to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

ilyas | 9 years ago | Reply When I was a student, I also sympathized with many such people. However, 30 years on I can see very clearly where I was wrong. I can understand the emotions behind students' comments speaking against ISI and LUMS. Soon these emotions will pave the way to common sense, logic, vision and pragmatism and they too will understand that they were wrong about it. Ours is the only country in the world where such anti- country and anti-state elements thrive at the expense of tax payers. In the name of liberalism we have given too much of prime time to them repeating lies after lies. Note that in such cases intelligence agencies can never come in the open and state the facts, they just cannot claim their success. Its true for every country, the stronger the agency , the stronger its internal security.

Mirza | 9 years ago | Reply Military courts are hanging dozens of "criminals" particularly Bloch nationalists just like 80 years old founding father Akbar Bugti. One can guarantee that convicted, confessed murderer would never be touched let alone hanged by any military court. Hangings and disappearances are only for nationalist leaders of smaller provinces.

Fatima | 9 years ago | Reply The university didn't cancel the talk. In fact there was pressure by the "state" authorities. LUMS released a press statement stating the exact reasons for why this talk was canceled but we can clearly see that it's not reported @just_someone:

SK | 9 years ago | Reply Agencies have the last say on who is true Pakistani and who is not...... so long ordinary people of Pakistan

Activist | 9 years ago | Reply According to the event's Facebook page " two men from our intelligence agencies visited LUMS and threatened of worse consequences if this event is not cancelled." Yes, LUMS is to be blamed for not having the spine to keep their word but the main culprit are our 'boys'. Students and activists from LUMS are holding parallel event in protest.

Raja Porus | 9 years ago | Reply Sometimes becoming overly proud and arrogant can backfire. LUMS should know its place and not overstep its boundaries. Pakistan will always come first.

A | 9 years ago | Reply The University canceled the event? No. The university was ordered by ISI to cancel the event "or else". Grow some balls and report what happened.

someone_else | 9 years ago | Reply Hmm I wonder where are the cyber warrior pf Pakistan who are always looking for an excuse to taunt and abuse Indian democracy?

Kanwal | 9 years ago | Reply Thats disgusting. No other words for it.

shehzad | 9 years ago | Reply Correct decision. Many of these personalities are either suspected terrorists or sympathizers of terrorists. Would LUMS invite LeJ or TTP supporters? but there are some groups in Pakistan who have a preference for this brand of terror.

Ahsan | 9 years ago | Reply For all those thinking LUMS cancelled this out of free will, you are mistaken. We were forced to cancel this talk. And for ET, this talk was not cancelled a couple hours before it started. It was scheduled for Thursday, but cancelled on Wednesday evening.

Arslan | 9 years ago | Reply @just_someone LUMS was forced to cancel the talks! Just in case you missed it

Anon | 9 years ago | Reply As a LUMS student, I can confirm that this report is incorrect. The university didn't cancel the talk, they were forced to cancel it by the IS.

NBZ | 9 years ago | Reply @just_someone: Lums was forced to cancel the talk because of ISI direct orders. If it were to suppress freedom of speech and controversial debates then why would it even plan such events?

Saqib | 9 years ago | Reply why won't you mention that two isi agents came with an order from DG isi to cancel the talk.

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply It was not what LUMS intended. The pressure was put on university directly from the DG ISI. 2 men carrying a letter of his highness entered the HOD's office and threatened to cancel the event.

Adil | 9 years ago | Reply Not surprised, the VC LUMS Sohail Naqvi is weak and arrogant. Not sure what makes him such a big deal? Plenty of people with GPA 4.0 and they have graduated from better school. I have not seen anything visionary from him or his boss nor will LUMS see anything ...leadership or visionary.

Blithe | 9 years ago | Reply Lums has produced very average minds . Unfortunately , too many children of army officers who treat army as a golden cattle . No criticle thinking and it shows

Irtaza Haider | 9 years ago | Reply Two things need to be set straight. 1) The talk was cancelled after direct orders from one of our country's intelligence agency and 2) the talk was to be held tomorrow at 6:30 pm,not today.

IBN E ASHFAQUE | 9 years ago | Reply The establishment will never allow it to happen in Pakistan. The establishment considers their privileged right to define what is best for Pakistan. This long night appears to continue in my country.....but I am hopeful that Allah will deliver us one day genuine empowerment to the hungry, dispossessed and poor Pakistanis who earn less than a dollar a day.

Ahmad | 9 years ago | Reply Good! we don't need RAW agents giving lectures.

SM | 9 years ago | Reply @A J Khan: shame on LUMS and shame on you for such false baseless allegations.

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply LUMS cancels talk featuring Mama Qadeer. Little correction: after receiving a call from "private number".

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply LUMS cancels talk featuring Mama Qadeer. Little correction: after receiving a call from "priavte number".

non fascist | 9 years ago | Reply @just_someone: Please invite a session on misuse of freedom of speech and one on administrative negligence and misappropriation of funds by sponsored professors of various universities. I will be the first one to enter the venue, and i will serve you drink and cookies myself.

Karachi Mirchi | 9 years ago | Reply Discrimination against Baloch people is seldom reported in the media . Shame on all of us .The "most powerful" force of this country is making the same mistake as they did in 1971.

Mariam A | 9 years ago | Reply It was not LUMS that cancelled the talk. It was ISI that sent two men with a notice from DG ISI demanding that the talk be cancelled. The LUMS faculty, administration and students were enraged by this act of silencing an educational institution from discussing matters that the military is and always has been paranoid about. Kindly refer to the statement regarding this unfortunate incident that LUMS will be releasing shortly.

A J Khan | 9 years ago | Reply It will be more honorable for LUMs to invite Rajinder Khanna who is the current chief of Research and Analysis Wing, the external intelligence agency of India than his petty agent Mama Qadeer.

just_someone | 9 years ago | Reply Disgusting approach by a 'university'... The pillar of all educational universities is freedom of speech and engagement in contentious debates. LUMS has failed in both! They perpetuate the same old Pakistani mentality and will never be respected by any decent educational institution in the world, let alone be ranked in them. They should return their university charter...

Activist | 9 years ago | Reply Correct your wordings ET "Pressure from GHQ"

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