LAHORE: The family and colleagues of a missing retired professor of the Government Dyal Singh College, Prof Abid Mehmood, have demanded the government to take measures for his early recovery.Mr Mahmood, a former head of the college’s English department, had retired from service in 2020 after serving for more than 20 years in the higher education department of Punjab.

A complaint lodged by the former professor’s wife with the Factory Area police station states Mr Mahmood left his house in Ali Colony, Walton, last Sunday and has not returned since. The family searched for him on their own and after failing to trace him lodged a complaint with the police.

The police registered a report on the complaint and started the investigation.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) also visited the house of the former teacher to express solidarity with his family and share their concern.

During the visit, the PPLA office-bearers demanded the government to take measures to trace and recover Mr Mahmood as soon as possible.

A post on the facebook page of the college says, “Our dearest friend Professor Abid Mehmood (Ex-HOD English, Dyal Singh College, Lahore) has been missing since Sunday morning. If someone has seen him or has had any contact with him kindly let us know on the following number. Kindly share this message to help us find him. Jazak Allah.”

A former colleague of the ex-professor, on the condition of anonymity, told Dawn that Mr Mahmood had a dispute with his brother and a brother-in-law over their ancestral land and he had been very upset because of the issue.

About Mehmood’s political views, he said that he used to be an activist during Gen Zia’s regime and was imprisoned and flogged for opposing the martial law.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2021