An untimely death

University of Sargodha professor dies in NAB custody sparks outcry

The death of a professor of the University of Sargodha who was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in October begs many questions.

Mian Javed Ahmed died in judicial custody in Lahore District Jail and he was reportedly in handcuffs even after death. A photograph of his dead body with chains went viral on social media networking sites. There was widespread condemnation, but little was asked about the case itself.

Some of the questions we can ask are not only of the way these investigations are conducted but also of how we treat our teachers in society. It seems the death of a teacher is not as significant as that of others. Teachers are dispensable.

Local media reported that this professor has been arrested on charges of opening illegal campuses and minting millions from students. He was facing these charges at the time of his death. Many have questioned the case itself. But it is not that such cases should not be investigated. But the manner in which it is done leaves a lot to be desired.

Who can forget that it was only in October where we saw four senior academics of the University of Punjab were paraded in chains coming out of an accountability court. It was a miserable sight. How one wishes the same treatment could be given to those who rape and kill at will. In their case, their faces are usually hidden.

Not so for Punjab University ex-vice chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran and four others - two former registrars Prof Dr Raas Masood and Prof Dr Liaqat Ali and two additional registrars Prof Dr Aurangzaib Alamgir and Prof Dr Kamran Abid. They had appeared before the NAB team at its Thokar Niaz Beg office and were arrested upon their unsatisfactory replies to allegations against them. What was shocking was how they were cast in chains and paraded in public soon after.

After notice of this humiliating scene was taken by the Chief Justice, NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal suspended an additional director from service for the act and constituted a new team to investigate the charges against the five professors.

This is all well and good. It gave a strong message. But now it seems that the message given by the chief justice and the NAB chairman has not filtered through.

After the untimely death, the blame game has started. Lahore District Jail authorities say that the incarcerated professor experienced a cardiac arrest and was rushed to Services Hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. They do not take responsibility for his death.

Following the professor’s death, the bureau had issued a clarification, mentioning that the suspect had been in judicial remand since October and that his good health had been verified by jail authorities before he was taken into custody. It said that according to regulations, jail authorities do not take custody of a suspect if his health is deteriorating.

Ironically, only a few days earlier the relevant authority had obtained an extension in this professor’s judicial remand and that of four other professors arrested in the same case.

But it is one thing to investigate suspects, it is another to humiliate them. Our society suffers from great sickness if they find pleasure in humiliating teachers, as we have seen time and again.

In the case against Mian Javed, NAB alleged that hundreds of students who studied at the illegal campuses of the university were charged millions of rupees. Neither were examinations conducted nor were the students issued degrees. The affected students have time and again staged protests against the university administration.

It was following the protests that Chief Justice Saqib Nisar had taken notice of the issue and referred the case to the NAB Lahore director general. Then who is to blame? The Senate Standing Committee for Human Rights has taken notice of the professor’s death and asked officials to explain what happened.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also says it is gravely concerned at the way people’s fundamental right to dignity is being eroded, ostensibly in the name of accountability. These are all valid points made by different organisations. But at the end of the day it seems there are no lessons learnt.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2018.

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