Qazi, Qazi go away, come again some other day

Punjab University (PU) teachers have strongly condemned the expected visit of former Jamat-i-Islami (JI) Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmad at PU on February 29 since two opposing groups, Tanzeem-e-Asataza, a pro-JI group, and Teachers’ Front (TF) are contesting Academic Staff Association (ASA) elections (ASA) to elect their office bearers for the year 2012, Pakistan Today learnt on Sunday.
PU teaching community and students have requested Ahmad to not to visit the varsity on the day of the election as it could result in a clash between the two teachers’ groups. However, Tanzeem-e-Asataza has decided to push for Ahmad to come to PU on the election day to increase their votes.
PU has once again become a center of teachers’ politics as the activities related to the ASA elections are at their peak. Things took a turn for the worse when the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba invited Ahmad to a Seerat Conference on the same day. Even though this is the ASA election, experts are of the view that this is the make or break deal for PU and it would decide if PU would remain in the grip of IJT or not.
It is important to mention here that traditionally, the pro-IJT Tanzeem-e-Asataza has dominated teachers’ politics in PU since the time of dictator General Zia-ul-Haq. “Common workers of JI have been given important posts and they are third divisioners and are often involved in plagiarism,” sources said, adding “it is tragic how these teachers are now being made heads of departments, directors, deans and are being given senior administrative posts only because they have links with the JI and not on merit.”
“The IJT flourishes under these teachers and they are misguiding the students. Instead of focusing on their studies and on research, students are increasingly getting involved in undue political activities,” sources said.
“IJT is an important student body and has brought about a major change in the way students are treated at PU. The female students feel safe, they are paying the fee of many students and they help everyone in need. It is not bad at all,” a student said, adding “the IJT have also taken steps to safeguard the rights of the students. They organise international events for the betterment of the student body. There are a few elements in the group that have brought a bad name for them but that does not mean they are bad overall.”
“All this energy can be put to good use but some elements in the teachers’ body tend to misuse them. They use these students to achieve their own personal agendas and that is where things start going wrong,” sources said.
“A tough competition is expected between TA’s president candidate Dr Maher Saeed Akhtar and TF’s candidate Dr Amir Sarwer. At secretary seat Dr Javaid Sami who is popular due to his honesty and his good policies is a favorite candidate while Kamran Mirza is his competitor,” sources said. Both the groups are campaigning in a peaceful way but now after Ahmad has been invited by the IJT, things could take a turn for the worse.
“If he comes there will be clashes,” a professor said.
However, like already pointed out, this is the make or break for the IJT since the reappointment of Dr Mujahid Kamran as VC. Kamran was the first VC in the varsity’s history who closed down IJT’s offices.
IJT: “We are only holding a Seerat-un-Nabi Conference and we have invited Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Hafiz Akif Saeed.We are not working on an agenda and we will not disrupt the elections,” IJT spokesman Abdul Muqit said while talking to Pakistan Today.
TEACHERS’ FRONT: Late night on Sunday, the TF held an emergency meeting of its executive council which was attended by Prof Dr Shukat Ali, Prof Dr Mansoor Sarwar, Javaid Sami, Shumaila Gul, Amir Sarwar, Dr Ehsan, Dr Abid and others.
The meeting condemned the invitation sent to Ahmad for the conference and said no step should be taken to disrupt the elections. They said TF had realised that it was the last straw and they could not win the election without pulling this stunt.