HYDERABAD: Mehran University Teacher Association’s president Ghulam Abbas Mahar and wife of the university teacher Prof Inam Bhatti, who was whisked away by some security officials at Karachi airport a day ago, urged the apex court and other higher authorities concerned on Wednesday to ensure recovery of Prof Bhatti.

Mr Mahar flanked by the professor’s parents and wife Shagufta Bhatti said at a joint press conference at local press club that Prof Bhatti was to leave for Turkey on Sept 3 to attend an international conference on energy and environment to be held in Istanbul.

Ms Bhatti said that her husband had entered airport at 3am and he was issued boarding pass and tags for the luggage. But then suddenly an FIA team approached him and told him that his name was on exit control list and thus he could not travel abroad, she said.

She said that her husband accompanied the FIA team and then he also contacted his son Salaar, who had gone to the airport to send him off. Her son kept waiting there for four to five hours but Prof Bhatti did not come out, she said.

She said that Salaar was waiting for him till 8am when he saw that some unidentified persons were taking away his father in a double cabin vehicle (No.SPD-322) from the airport and since then he had no contact with him.

She feared that his husband’s life was in danger and appealed to chief justices of Supreme Court and Sindh High Court to intervene and ensure his safe recovery.

Ghulam Abbas said that Prof Bhatti was a scholar and his disappearance in such a manner could hurt dignity of Pakistan. He warned that if Prof Bhatti was not released within 24 hours, then a call for countrywide protest would be given from the platform of Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa).

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2019