No classes!: Teachers’ protest goes national

HYDERABAD:

On Monday, the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) announced that academic activities at public sector universities in Sindh, would remain suspended for another week. However, the University of Karachi has not made a decision as yet.

The teachers protest originated at Sindh University, where Prof. Bashir Channar was killed on January 2. Sindh University Teachers Association (SUTA) later presented a set of demands that included the call for a judicial inquiry into the professor’s murder, removal of the vice chancellor, revival of student unions at the university and placement of private security guards around the campus.

A judicial investigation into Prof. Channar’s murder is already under way. Additional district and sessions judge, Khalid Hussain Shahani, inspected the crime scene on Monday and will record statements of witnesses at the campus on Tuesday.

“Teachers across all universities in Pakistan will stop discharging their duties if Mughal is not removed from office, and termination orders and show cause notices against our teachers are not withdrawn by the end of this week,” warned FAPUASA Sindh president, Prof. Naimatullah Laghari on Monday. SUTA members Dr Azhar Ali Shah and Arfana Mallah were fired while seven others were issued show cause notices last week by the SU syndicate.

Mallah, Ghulam Nabi Bhalai and others claimed that the police also raided their residences after the university lodged a FIR against nine SUTA teachers and seven members of the Sindh University Employees Welfare Association.

Sindh University released a statement Monday that denied that any police action was taken at its behest. It also added that classes at three of its 57 departments took place that day.

Classes at Mehran University, University of Engineering and Technology, Sindh Agriculture University, Quaid-e-Azam University and Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai University also remained suspended.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2012.