Pakistani academics based in the United States have dismissed as draconian a Higher Education Commission (HEC) circular calling for heads of public and private degree awarding institutions to impose limits on formal or informal discussions.
The circular —issued on October 28 with signatures of Prof Dr Mansoor Akbar Kundi, executive director of HEC — has directed rectors, vice chancellors and head of all public and private universities of the country “to remain very vigilant and forestall any activity that in any manner challenges the ideology and principles of Pakistan”.
This circular, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, is being circulated through emails and social media among Pakistani academics residing in the US. It urges the heads of academia to control any discussion “against the perspective of the government of Pakistan”.
Commenting on the notification, Dr Azra Raza, professor of medicine at Columbia University, said: “The most harmful of all subversions that a state can impose on its citizens is a restriction on the freedom of speech. And if the directive descends directly from the highest authority of her academic institutions, then it’s dangerous.”
She said that if the government has not issued it, then it should come forward with its version and get the circular withdrawn as soon as possible.
Manan Ahmed Asif, a Lahore-based professor of history at Columbia University, said, “The HEC’s communiqué reflects the authoritarian and totalitarian mindset that informs Pakistan’s bureaucratic elite. Here, dissent is unspeakable and the primary focus is on maintaining the sanctity of the nationalist ideologies.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2014.
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Freedom of speech should not be curtailed like this.
The disappointment of HEC is continued. They are more focus on stamping degrees and work which is counter productive for foster research culture amongst the higher education institute. They need to refocus in their activities and should avoid such useless acts which will not have any effect on the professors, but only exposing the ugly side of HEC.