Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Ali survived a gun attack by a daily-wage employee on Sunday.
The QAU vice-chancellor was unhurt after the daily wager opened fire on him during a flag-hoisting ceremony held at the university in connection with Independence Day.
According to sources, as soon as the ceremony ended and Vice-Chancellor Dr Ali started leaving the central library building, the daily-wage employee of the computer science department, identified as Jawad, whipped out his pistol and aimed it at the vice-chancellor before the security guards flung and overpowered him.
According to sources, as the employee took out the pistol, the guards rushed toward him and hauled his arms up and during this push and pull, he fired four bullets that all hit the wall and roof of the library while the vice-chancellor remained unhurt. Later, the suspect was handed over to the police.
Sources said that the accused was a daily wage employee had been demanding regularisation of service after serving at the university for 10 years.
Sources said that the Quaid-e-Azam University is currently facing a severe financial crisis and daily wage employees and visiting faculty members have not been paid since 2020.
QAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Ali said that “I don’t have personal enmity with anyone but it is linked to internal politics and sectarian biases. The employee has no financial issues. He is being paid an Rs10,000 monthly salary. Certain groups within the university have provoked him that the vice-chancellor did not regularise him. He took the extreme step due to this provocation. We are looking into this aspect as well.”
On the other hand, the police produced the accused before a judicial magistrate, who sent him on a two-day physical remand.
The QAU has been facing annual deficit, illegal encroachments by land grabbers and external interference in its affairs.
But because of financial constraints, the QAU could not hire qualified faculty or staff, improve existing facilities, or meet the growing needs of the university. It also could not meet essential day-to-day expenditures.
The hostel residents were facing several problems because of a lack of hostels.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2022.
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