NCA student lashes out at film dept head

Threatens to sue teacher over delayed promotions.

LAHORE:

A National College of Arts (NCA) student is threatening to sue Shireen Pasha, the head of the Department of Film and Television, accusing her of maliciously holding back his promotion.

Rana Usman Khan, a third-year student, posted a letter on notice boards at the college and its hostels threatening to file a lawsuit against Pasha and demanding that she resign for allegedly victimising him and other students.

Khan was marked as failed in his first year examination results on May 11, 2010. But after the student complained twice, his exams were rechecked and he was declared to have passed.

Khan was also marked as failed in his second year exam results on February 15, 2011. Again he protested and again he was declared to have passed, on March 28.

Students said that Khan and Pasha had argued during their class. They said that Khan would raise questions which Pasha would respond to with insulting comments. Once she had told him that he was only fit to work in the circus.

Sohail Azad, who was among the first batch of students at the film department, said two of his fellows, Shahzaman Baloch and Abid, had also been asked to repeat the third year but were reinstated after protests by the students.

“There was no public notification. They said it was human error. Both of them were later awarded degrees,” he said.

Pasha maintained that Khan was a poor student who had been granted grace marks to gain promotion to the next year. “He was weak in studies and suddenly there was a strike where he played a major role. I was out of the country at that time.”

She dismissed his threat to sue her. “His behaviour is odd. He should get medical help,” she said.

Shazada Usman, a former NCA student, said Pasha dominated the department and most teachers and students were intimidated by her.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th,  2011.