PESHAWAR: The Peshawar University Teachers’ Association (Puta) has condemned the district nazim and deputy commissioner of Nowshera for leveling baseless allegations against teachers of University of Peshawar. They said they would soon sue the two officials for defaming the teachers.

“We strongly condemn the land mafia headed by Liaqat Khattak, District Nazim Nowshera, and DC Nowshera,” Jamil Ahmad Chitrali, President of Puta, said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

The nazim along with deputy commissioner of the said district addressed a press conference in which they leveled baseless allegations against the respectable teachers of the UoP in order to facilitate their occupation of Azakhel Botanical Garden of the varsity. Puta intends to sue the nazim, deputy commissioner and a tehsildar in the Peshawar High Court on account of such baseless allegations and defamation of the respectable teachers, said the statement.

Earlier, a private firm, on the special directives of Liaqat Khattak, district nazim Nowshera, attempted to occupy Azakhel Park to establish a flying club there, but such illegal attempt was foiled and prevented in time by PUTA, it stated

Similarly, Puta foiled another such attempt of by the nazim’s brother, Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, who also tried to illegally occupy the botanical garden in 2014. Puta won the case as both the Peshawar High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled in favour of UoP, the statement said. Puta stated that it would take all legal courses to fight for the rights of the students and teachers.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2016