Uproar as staffers asked to stay apolitical

PTI workers accuse institution of banning students from supporting party

LAHORE: With just a day left in the Raiwind rally, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) found a battlefield – on ground and social media – over a month-old circular by the Sharif Medical and Dental College (SMDC).

Both the parties have left no stone unturned to malign each other, hurling allegations and threats at each other and in the process, preparing for ‘Danda’ and ‘Balla’ forces even before the gathering at Adda plot.

The drama started after a mysterious circular was posted by PTI workers on social media. The notice said the Sharif Medical and Dental College had imposed a ban on its staffers and students from becoming part of any political activities.

The notification asked students and employees of the institution to strictly desist from becoming members of any political party or factions. The circular stated that no staffer or student of the hospital would take active interest in the management of the affairs of a political party, faction or campaign or solicit votes for or against a candidate of any political party.

Going into detail, the notification strictly demanded the staffers not to contribute, volunteer or even show support to any party. The directions asked them to avoid displaying any kind of political stickers on their vehicles, or wear shirts, hats, stickers that would indicate any kind of support for a candidate of political party.

The circular also stated that no staffer should follow any political candidate on social media either.

When contacted, SMDC Director Administration Dr Zafar Iqbal said the circular was issued on September 3 and had no connection with the PTI’s rally at Adda plot. “It is a routine activity, we have asked our students to not be political. Why the uproar?”

He said he had asked the students of the institute to focus solely on academics and not on political activities and requested all political parties to stay away from university students.

The SMDC was named after the father of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and is located only a few kilometers away from the Adda plot, where the PTI is set to stage its protest today.

“To avoid any conflict among activists of PML-N and PTI, we routinely intimate our students not to be part of any political party rally or go outside the university premises,” said Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah.

In response, PTI Chairman Imran Khan tweeted the SMDC had threatened its staff with dismissal if they liked the PTI’s Facebook page, retweeted his or any anti-Sharif tweets or even attended the Raiwind march.

The notification seen by The Express Tribune, however, says the university administration has not imposed a ban on showing any kind of support on social media.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2016.