LAHORE, Nov 17: The Muslim Town police have booked Punjab University’s 14 senior faculty members on charges of sedition and provoking masses against the proclamation of emergency and promulgation of Provisional Constitution Order.

The PU Academic Staff Association (PUASA) general body had organised a protest walk from the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology to the Institute of Education and Research (IER) on New Campus on Nov 8 and condemned the imposition of emergency in the country.

The FIR under sections 124-A, 188, 143/149 and 16-MPO has been registered against PUASA president Dr Mumtaz Salik, secretary-general Dr Asmatullah, CHEP director Prof Dr Haris Rasheed, Law College’s Samee Uzair and Amanullah, ICS’ Mujahid Mansoori, Dr Shafiq Jallandhari, IBIT director Nayyar Raza Zaidi, Physics Department chairman Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, IER’s Ziaullah Shah and Rana Majid, Pharmacy College’s Prof Bashir Ahmad, Geology Department’s Prof Chaudhry Muhammad Nazir and Geography Department’s Prof Abdul Ghaffar.

The PUASA general body had also passed a resolution that the imposition of martial law in the name of emergency was unconstitutional, undemocratic and an immoral action on the part of Gen Pervez Musharraf. It said the emergency had suspended the basic human rights of 160 million people and damaged Pakistan’s soft and enlightened moderation image abroad.

The FIR said policemen deployed at PU’s Gate No 2 to control law and order saw that some 40 to 50 university teachers, led by PUASA president Dr Mumtaz Salik, held a protest march up to IER and Gate No 2.

The FIR stated that Dr Salik termed the government’s action tarnishing the country’s image and demanded that all those involved should be punished. It said Dr Salik also provoked the university teachers and students against the government that might lead to creating law and order situation in the PU.

The FIR said 14 senior teachers were in the forefront in voicing protest and fanning people’s sentiments against the government.