Political pressure: VCs slam Channar in joint statement

Demand an inquiry into the incident at IUB

BAHAWALPUR/ LAHORE:

Vice chancellors of several universities in the Punjab, issued a press statement on Thursday, condemning the behaviour of Cooperatives Minister Malik Iqbal Channar during a visit to Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) Vice Chancellor Prof Qaiser Mushtaq on Wednesday.

A statement issued by the spokesperson of the University of Education said that vice chancellors had expressed deep concern about increasing political interference, unnecessary hurdles in various academic and non-academic affairs and obstacles created by some politicians to establishing a peaceful environment at varsities.

They demanded that the government take notice about the ‘painful’ situation.

The minister had allegedly arrived at the IUB without an appointment and stormed into the vice chancellor’s office with his supporters in a tow. His supporters are also accused of vandalism on the campus.

The statement said that vice chancellors of the Punjab University, the University of Education, the Lahore University of Management Sciences, the Government College Lahore University, the University of Agriculture, the Faisalabad GCU, Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan University, among others, appealed to  Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Governor Rafique Rajwana to ensure a peaceful environment on varsities so that such shameful incidents could be avoided in the future.

In a joint statement, they said that that education and innovative research were only the parameter of progress and development among nations. The vice chancellors demanded that the chief minister order an impartial inquiry and take strict action against the culprits.

In Bahawalpur, faculty members of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur gathered at Baghdadul Jadeed Campus to mark solidarity with the vice chancellor.

They condemned the unpleasant incident at Abbasia Campus on March 7. They said the sanctity of educational institutions should never be compromised. They also said that they would not put up with miscreants vandalising university property and harassing its employees.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2016.