LUMS cancels talk featuring Mama Qadeer

A talk featuring Baloch human rights activist was scheduled for 9pm today at the university

Lahore University of Management Sciences cancelled on Wednesday a scheduled talk featuring Baloch human rights activist Mama Qadeer, following unverified reports of pressure from government officials.

Abdul Qadeer Baloch, known as Mama Qadeer, is the founder of a group working for information on people who have “disappeared” during the long-running conflict between the government and Baloch separatist movements.

A talk, ‘Un-silencing Balochistan’ was scheduled for 9pm at the university today, featuring guest speakers Mama Qadeer, activist Mohammed Ali Talpur, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan director I A Rehman, Secretary General Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VMPB) Farzana Majeed, Quaid-e-Azam University professor Aasim Sajjad and human rights activist Sajjad Changezi.

The talk was to be moderated by Rashid Rahman, the editor of Daily Times. However, a couple of hours before the conference, the university cancelled the event.