LAHORE – Panic gripped through the female population of University of the Punjab hostels when a number of varsity guards led by Chief Security Officer (CSO) Major (r) Arif raided a female professor’s official residence to get it vacated.
Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA), female students and faculty members residing in hostels condemned Major (r) Arif’s commando-style action. Students said the retired major has no regard for women and has converted the varsity into an army garrison. “Security guards raided my home when I was alone and threatened me with dire consequences.
It is the worst example of hooliganism,” said the female professor, who asked not to be named, while talking to Pakistan Today. Witnesses said around fifteen security guards cordoned off the professor’s home. Major (r) Arif and PU Security Officer Arshad Butt were giving them instructions. The professor, a senior PU faculty member and former PU Hostel No 7 superintendent, had been facing eviction from her university home for quite some time. A group of teachers had been lobbying for her eviction.
A PU official, seeking anonymity, said the incident has brought home the fact that women are not safe in the university premises. He revealed that the female professor had received last week a letter from Hall Council Chairman Dr Amin Ather to vacate her home immediately since she was no more hostel superintendent. He said the professor’s case is pending in court and that on the court’s instructions, she made an application to VC Mujahid Kamran for a review but the VC turned her request down.
The evicted professor told Pakistan Today that Dr Amin was threatening her despite the fact that she has sent appeals to the VC and governor regarding her official residence.
She said security guards cut electricity and gas mains. However, Dr Amin Ather told Pakistan Today that the female professor was removed from the superintendent’s post last year but she has been occupying the official residence illegally since then. He also rejected the professor’s claim of a pending court case.
