SU professor’s murder: Protest goes on, even as classes resume

The executive council of the teachers’ society will decide the next plan of action.

KARACHI: The faculty members of the Karachi University (KU) went back to work after a two-day boycott in solidarity with the Sindh University’s (SU) teachers.

SU teachers went on strike after a faculty member was murdered on campus on January 2. This prompted a slew of protests against the vice chancellor, Dr Nazir Mughal, who they demanded should be removed. The protests spread to other universities as Mughal reacted by sacking protesting teachers. He was backed by the education minister.

The KU Teachers Society’s (KUTS) general secretary, Dr Harris Shoaib, told The Express Tribune that going back to work did not mean that their protest has ended. “We are with the SU teachers in their protest and that is why the academic activities came to a halt for two days.”

The executive council of the society will decide the next plan of action after a broader consultation with the university teachers. “The unnecessary delay on the government’s part in resolving this issue is further aggravating the situation,” added Shoaib. Academic activities at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) also went back to normal on Tuesday after a ‘black day’ on Monday.

“Not only were the SU teachers issued suspension letters, they were also treated like criminals with police raids at their house,” said the KUTS president Dr Mutahir Ahmed Shaikh at the protest rally on Monday. “We demand that the government revoke the suspension letters.”

Criticising the government’s response to the SU protests, he said that the situation could have been handled in an amicable manner but the government has resorted to tactics.

“The way SU teachers are being treated is deplorable,” said FUUAST Teachers’ Association president, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Baloch, while wearing a black band around his arm on Monday. “The government should be able to differentiate between how to treat teachers and criminals.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2012.