Abducted: No help yet for vice-chancellor

Fourth video in series shows Ajmal Khan pleading for his release.

PESHAWAR: The government and the teacher’s community remained unmoved a day after militants released a new video showing kidnapped vice-chancellor of Islamia College University Ajmal Khan pleading for his release.

The recent video is the fourth in a series of such videos and shows Khan pleading the government to work for his release. The video sent shows Khan saying that he is in the captivity of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for the past four months and the government has not made any serious effort to secure his release.

However, the video failed to stir the community and government on Saturday. Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) President Dr Johar Ali said he had yet to watch the video and had heard about it. “I am not in the city and will comment on it after I return,” he said.

However, Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) Provincial President Dr Fida Mohammad told The Express Tribune that the teachers’ community is angered by the way the issue has been handled. He said that they were planning to call a meeting of their general council to chalk out a strategy to push for the release of the kidnapped teacher. “We are not satisfied with the role of the provincial governor in this case,” he said.

However, he said that there were some positive developments, which could not be shared publicly and that he was confident about the vice-chancellor’s release.

Ajmal Khan, who is a cousin of Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, was kidnapped in September from Professor Colony, close to the University Campus. The ANP chief could not be reached for his comments.

Militants had issued three videos earlier. The second video led to a quick reaction among teachers and they announced to boycott all classes in public sector universities. The boycott continued for a month, however, after a meeting with the K-P governor, the teachers’ community ended their strike and universities re-opened on November 26.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2011.