Sindh

Protesters uncertain of what they are protesting against

Demonstration against DUHS VC appointment marred by unaware participants

Our Correspondent June 19, 2016

Activists of Civil Society chant slogans during a demonstration organized by Dow University Bachao Action Committee. PHOTO: ONLINE

KARACHI: A demonstration against the appointment of Dr Saeed Qureshi as vice-chancellor (VC) of Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) took a strange turn when none of the protesters were able to explain why or whom they were protesting against.

Thirty protesters from the Sakhi Lajpal organisation, including Dr Nawaz Ali Mallah, who is the chairperson of the Save Dow Action Committee, protested on Sunday against Dr Qureshi’s appointment at the Karachi Press Club. They shouted slogans against Dr Qureshi and demanded the president, chief of army staff and chief justice of Pakistan stop his appointment.

However, none of the protesters were doctors by profession nor were they able to explain who Dr Qureshi is or why they were protesting against him. “I do not know who [Qureshi] is but our madam asked us to come here,” said Hira, a protester.

Another protester said he is a worker of a political party and came to the protest because he was asked to come. A representative of the organisation, Rozina, who is said to be the protesters’ ‘madam’, also did not know who they were protesting against. “We are just protesting against a corrupt officer,” she said, adding that people can read the placards if they want to know anything.

A protester, Akhter Baloch, said he is a peon at DUHS but failed to show his ID card. “We have just been told to shout slogans against Dr Qureshi,” he claimed. The protesters ran away when asked questions regarding the protest.

Dr Mallah said that a new committee should be formed for the appointment of the VC, while an inquiry should be conducted against the Pakistan Medical Association for supporting Dr Qureshi. Commenting on the protesters’ lack of awareness, he said that they are common citizens and are unaware of their rights. According to a press release, Dr Qureshi was ‘greatly involved in corruption’ during his 13 years as medical superintendent of Civil Hospital. It also mentions that Dr Qureshi has breached DUHS rules by travelling abroad 18 times in a single year without taking leave from a ‘competent authority’.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2016.