LOWER DIR: A senior academician has accused the pro-vice chancellor of the University of Malakand of subjecting him to physical assault, and asked the government to provide him with justice.

Talking to Dawn here on Friday, Abdul Naseer, a resident of Bajaur, and an assistant professor at Government Degree College, Dargai, Malakand district, alleged he had been subjected to severe physical torture by Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Attaur Rehman and his two sons.

He demanded of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and secretary higher education department to order probe into the matter. He said after submitting students’ papers to the UoM examination centre he went to the Islamic studies department to meet his former colleagues in their office the other day.

He said Dr Attaur Rehman, who is also chairman of the Islamic studies department, entered the office and asked his colleagues to leave. “As my colleagues left the room, two sons of Mr Rehman also entered there, who locked the room and began to thrash, kick and punch me with an iron fist,” he claimed, saying he somehow managed to open the door.

He said the accused continued to beat him in front of several students outside the office, and the CCTV footage of the incident was also available.

Mr Naseer said he was shifted to a hospital by students in injured condition. He was later taken to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Chakdara, wherein he recorded his statement to the police.

Referring to the allegation leveled by the pro-vice-chancellor in the FIR, Mr Naseer said he had never registered a complaint against him that he was an Afghan national.

On the other hand, Prof Rehman lodged an FIR against Dr Naseer at the Chakdara police station, stating that he was present in his office when Naseer entered there and began to call him names.

He said students and UoM employees protected him as the accused wanted to attack him. He told the police that the accused was repeatedly threatening him with dire consequences.

He said the accused remained his subordinate at the varsity for three years as a lecturer and he was applying for a higher position. However, he said the suspect had been declared ineligible as he held a fake experience certificate.

He told the police the suspect had also filed a complaint against him declaring him as an Afghan national. Dr Rehman demanded legal action against the suspect for threatening him.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2024