ISLAMABAD: The abrupt removal of the director of the National Institute of Historical & Culture Research (NIHCR), a subordinate research institute of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), has turned into a mystery.

The university termed his removal a routine matter but rumours refuse to die down that the senior historian was removed because he didn’t stick to the official view of Pakistan’s history. Even the professor himself feels his views led to his removal.

Professor Dr Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, QAU History Department Chair and NIHCR director, was removed from the post of director on December 3, 2015.

However, this decision came shortly after he gave a speech at the International Conference on Sindh, History and Culture at the Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur, which concluded on November 25.

The conference was jointly organised by Khairpur University and NIHCR.

During the conference, Professor Dr Wiqar Shah challenged some notions of what is seen as ‘Pakistan’s history’ and argued that there is a need to rewrite history with a special focus on regional history.

Presenting his paper, titled ‘Identity Crisis and the Responsibilities of the Present Pakistani Historians’, he also praised nationalist leaders such as G.M. Syed, Bacha Khan and Wali Khan and pre-partition heroes such as Bhagat Singh and commented that historians should focus on the progressive leaders of India and Pakistan.

However, Dr Shah, who has authored 12 books, said that he emphasised the need to rewrite national history with a special focus on regional history.

“I argued that there is need to work on G.M. Syed, Abdul Samad Khan, Bacha Khan, Baghat Singh and Pir Sibghatullah Shah,” he said.

“As a historian, I feel there is a need to rewrite our history as there are many missing links in it,” he told Dawn.

Apparently, his views were brought to the attention of Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairperson Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, who subsequently sought a report from the QAU vice chancellor (VC).

“Someone, maybe a professor, brought the matter to my notice. I then sought a report from the QAU VC, who told me that no anti-Pakistan speech was made during the conference in question,” Dr Ahmed told Dawn.

However, it was after this exchange that QAU Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Ashraf removed Dr Shah from the post of NIHCR director.

This is when the rumours began circulating. They were lent credence by the fact that the notification issued by the university didn’t mention the reason of the removal.

It stated: “Dr Wiqar Ali Shah, Professor and Chairman, Department of History, is … relieved off from his additional duties as Director NIHCR with effect from 3, 12, 2015.”

The notification stated that affairs of the research institute shall be looked after by the VC with immediate effect.

Registrar Dr Safia Ahmed said that she was directed by the VC to issue the notification and called it a “routine matter”. When contacted, VC Dr Javed Ashraf refused to comment.

The professor himself also feels that he was removed for his remarks at the conference.

“On Saturday (four days before the notification was issued), the VC told me during a telephone conversation that some people were saying that the speakers at the Sindh Conference delivered anti-Pakistan speeches. I asked him: ‘Sir you were also present there and there were no such speeches’,” Professor Shah told Dawn.

However, days later, “I was removed… apparently my speech in the conference was a reason for my removal,” he said.

When contacted, noted human rights activist and Human Right Commission of Pakistan Secretary General I.A. Rehman said that he was unaware of the case but that if it was true, it reflected “the level of intolerance in society”.

“You can’t stop people from speaking their minds,” he said.

Some faculty members of QAU, who didn’t want to speak on the record, have been claiming that Dr Shah was removed for making a speech that was against the ideology of Pakistan.

A senior faculty member said that the abrupt removal of the NIHCR director will have a negative impact.

“I’m not against the removal of Dr Shah from an additional post, that is the prerogative of the VC, but the timing of the removal is of concern,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2015