Protesting FUUAST teachers arrested and released

They were protesting the Senate’s attempt to bring back a deposed VC

KARACHI: About two dozen teachers of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST), including women, were released shortly after their alleged detention on Monday.

A number of teachers of the university were protesting against the Senate’s attempts to bring back the varsity’s deposed vice-chancellor who was removed on charges of plagiarism and other malpractices. The teachers were detained by the Aziz Bhatti police from inside the varsity.

"The teachers were protesting over multiple issues. We were also there but by the evening, the teachers started sitting in our police mobiles insisting we take them to the police station," said Aziz Bhatti SHO Muhammad Hanif. "I agreed with them but I took them to the office of the East deputy commissioner, from where they went home."

The officer said that the police did not arrest them, as it was not a police matter. He also denied that the law and order situation went out of control.



On the other hand, Dr Shakeel Farooqi, secretary-general of the Federation of All Pakistan University Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) condemned the arrest of the teachers who were peacefully protesting. "Whoever decided to arrest the teachers has contributed to a fast spreading unrest in the universities throughout Pakistan," he said. Dr Farooqi demanded the president of Pakistan free FUUAST from the stronghold of an “obnoxious lobby which has been trying to run the affairs of the university in illegal manner for the last many years”.  He said the mysterious silence of chancellor's office translates into support of wrongdoers who certainly cannot run the university without teachers. Dr Farooqi added that FAPUASA-Sindh is meeting in Karachi today (Tuesday) to decide further action.

He warned the Karachi administration to act sensibly and diffuse the tension that arose from the arrest of the teachers.