Pakistan

Faisalabad university reinstates PhD student after unconditional apology

Kashan Haidar Gilani had been rusticated for criticising a carnival held by the university administration

Shamsul Islam January 07, 2016

University of Agriculture Faisalabad. PHOTO: UAF.EDU.PK

FAISALABAD: A day after a PhD candidate at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) was expelled over a controversial post on Facebook against the varsity, the administration on Thursday withdrew its decision and reinstated him.

On Wednesday, the UAF authorities had rusticated Kashan Haidar Gilani, first semester PhD student of the UAF’s Agriculture Extension Department on the charge of criticising the Kissan Mela 2015, a musical event organised by the varsity’s management recently.

The decision has been taken by the Review Committee headed by Dr Haq Nawaz Bhatti, chairman Discipline Committee.

Gold medalist PhD student expelled from Faisalabad university over Facebook post

The committee after conducting a detailed hearing also granted a personal hearing to Gilani who sought an unconditional apology for posting comments on Facebook about the Kissan Mela.

Gilani in his written statement submitted before the Discipline Committee said: “He has no personal grudge against anyone. He posted his comments on Facebook without any malice and it was his personal thinking.”

“If the comments caused personal attack to the teachers, I tendered unconditional apology to all the teachers and UAF administration and I may be allowed to continue my PhD,” he requested the concerned authority.

Gilani Facebook post reads: “I am in a dilemma for the past two to three days after observing the condition of Kissan Mela and how music concerts are depicting the true village lifestyle. How the teachers’ high impact factor would light the candle of knowledge sitting at stalls rather than in classrooms. The strength of foreigners was more than the farmers in the Kissan Mela,”

UAF Registrar Chaudhry Muhammad Hussain had issued notification and rusticated the student which stated, “Syed Kashan Haider Gilani was found involved in the acts of indiscipline & misconduct under Rule 3 of the UAF Act.”

The notification also said: “You defamed the UAF and were involved in spreading the wrong information & misleading the students/community on social media in connection with Kissan Mela.”

COMMENTS (5)

Whatacountry | 8 years ago | Reply We have witnessed demise of all systems in the country. Executive, Judicial, Political and moral.'RIP' everyone!

GS@Y | 8 years ago | Reply So the university felt justified in expelling a PHD STUDENT based on nothing but a mildly worded and mildly critical Facebook post? What kind of a university does that? A) The student's Facebook page is his personal platform and the university has no right or authority to regulate what he puts on there, B) What kind of a UNIVERSITY bans freedom of expression outright? Students in universities around the globe express dissatisfaction with or protest over the actions of university administrations. Is the Uni of Agr in Faisalabad suggesting that it's above all kind of criticism? I can only imagine the quality of research and knowledge produced in such a repressive environment. The university, and not the student, should have apologized over this sordid episode.