KARACHI: A number of people, including teachers and civil society activists, took part in a demonstration held outside the Karachi Press Club on Monday to protest the recent brutal murder of Prof Khalid Hameed in Bahawalpur.

The demonstration was jointly organised by the Teachers’ Society of Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (Fuu­ast), Abdul Haq campus, and the Human Rights Com­mission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Condemning the murder, speakers addressing the gathering called upon the government to look into rising extremism on campuses seriously and come up with a comprehensive strategy to promote tolerance and the spirit of coexistence.

They also felt that the continued restriction on student unions was a key factor contributing to intolerance in educational institutions and that the government must consider their restoration immediately.

“Increasing intolerance and extremism on campuses is a threat to society and the nation’s stability. We believe that one reason behind this worrisome situation is the continued ban on student unions,” said Asad Iqbal of the HRCP.

It’s important that students were provided with opportunities to engage in healthy activities and that the government restore student unions on campuses, he added. Prof Hameed’s murder was indicative of loss of state’s writ and society’s deterioration, he observed.

Dr Irfan Aziz, representing the teachers, held the state responsible for the killing and said that the government should announce the highest civil award for the late professor to demonstrate its respect towards teachers.

The protesters said the “soft government treatment” towards extremists and “compromised” police and judicial system had contributed to intolerance in society.

Among other things, what’s required was to spread knowledge and education to help end this hostile environment persisting in society, they said.

There was also a demand that the investigations into the killings of teachers, including Prof Shakeel Auj, Dr Yasir Rizvi of Karachi University and Prof Hameed, should be completed as soon as possible.

Prof Khalid Hameed, head of the English department of Bahawalpur’s Government Sadiq Egerton College, was stabbed to death by a student of his last week who accused him of promoting ‘obscenity’ by organising a mixed welcome gathering on campus.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2019