The Karachi University (KU) teachers have voiced concern over the new directives from the chancellor’s secretariat and termed the move as an ‘axe on academic freedom.’
Taking action against teachers’ anti-government statements, Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan has issued a notification for teachers of all universities and warned them of dire consequences if any statement would be made against government in press.
In a two-point notification, the chancellor also made it mandatory that if any varsity teacher wanted to avail ex-Pakistan leaves, then he/she must have to take approval from the authorities concerned before departure. The chancellor warned that if any teacher failed to comply with these directives, strict disciplinary action would be taken against him/her. The chancellor observed that some of the varsity teachers were involved in issuance of anti-government statements in press for ‘self-projection’. He also pointed that many of varsity teachers are enjoying ex-Pakistan leaves without prior approval of the authorities concerned. The KU teachers have voiced concerns over fresh orders of the governor and termed the move as an ‘axe on academic freedom.’ Interestingly, the Karachi University Teachers Society (KUTS) seems reluctant to take up the issue despite demands of teachers to call general body meeting over the chancellor’s orders.
Talking to Pakistan Today, a varsity teacher, who wished not to be named to avoid disciplinary action by the chancellor, said such directives had been issued at the time of the then KU Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Zaffar Saeed Saify in 2001 but the teachers took out to roads against the chancellor under the banner of KUTS.
“This time again, we approached KUTS to call general body meeting as the teachers took the orders as axe on academic freedom. However, KUTS seems reluctant to call general body meeting to support the chancellor’s unethical decision,” he added.
When approached for comments, KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Qaiser said the chancellor’s directives were just to ensure implementation of code of conduct. The Sindh governor has issued these instructions for all public sector universities in the province. The chancellor did not point out only the KU in his instructions. “In this university, not a single teacher could fly abroad before approval of ex-Pakistan leaves. The chancellor might have received some complaints from other public sector varsities over violation of the code of conduct. However, we will comply with chancellor’s orders as we did earlier,” he added.
