An investigation into the manhandling of a University of Karachi (KU) lecturer at the hands of some students on November 3 has taken a U-turn after a witness reported that the lecturer, Alam Shah of KU’s Department of Philosophy, had provoked the students, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Moreover, according to sources, the varsity’s management has started adopting delaying tactics to protect the students involved in the lecturer’s manhandling because the attackers are believed to be activists of the student wing of a political party currently part of the government.
Shah, who had reprimanded some students over reckless driving, was beaten up by those students after an exchange of heated words. The students then returned with a mob that attacked the lecturer until the KU security rescued him.
A senior KU employee said when he had reached the scene of the incident, he found no student there. “Meanwhile, the two students (who were accused of reckless driving) arrived with a mob. One of the students pointed towards Shah, saying that the lecturer had beaten him up. Following that, the crowd attacked Shah,” he added. He also said, “The statement of the two students and the circumstances suggest that Shah might have provoked the students.”
Following the incident, the university’s teachers boycotted classes until the KU administration told them that the case was pending before the disciplinary committee, which would resolve the case by November 10, causing the teachers to end the boycott. However, sources said, the case was transferred from the high-power inquiry committee to the disciplinary committee on November 11.
The Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) had called a general body meeting on November 10 and decided to resume academic activities after the varsity management assured them that the disciplinary committee is dealing with the matter.
KUTS President Dr Muttahir Sheikh said the KU management had sought a week’s time on November 3 to resolve the case. He said the deadline expired on November 10 and the teachers’ meeting was called to review the development in Shah’s case. However, he added, the management told us that the disciplinary committee needed another week to resolve the case, so the teachers have postponed the meeting until the new deadline expires.
On the other hand, KU Disciplinary Committee Convener Prof Dr Abuzar Wajdi said the case was handed over to the committee on Friday, November 11. Wajdi said the committee met on Saturday to review the case and sought details of the case from the inquiry committee.
He said the findings of the inquiry committee would be reviewed and then the medico-legal officer’s report analysed, following which the committee would issue show-cause notices to the students identified.
He also said if the students respond to the notices, then the committee would take their written and verbal statements and match them with the witnesses and victim’s statements. He added that if the statements of the victim, students and witnesses clash, then cross-examination would be conducted.
It is pertinent to mention here that the KU vice chancellor has suspended the results of the two students accused of attacking the lecturer, and barred them from attending classes and taking examinations until the disciplinary committee resolves the case.
