HYDERABAD, July 4: Sindh Chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) observed a black day and held a demonstration outside the local press club to press the government for acceptance of teachers’ demands.
President of the chapter Dr Usman Keerio and other leaders, including Dr Arfana Mallah, Dr Azhar Ali Shah and Prof Suresh Kumar, also addressed the protesters.
They condemned the remarks of the Sindh education minister against teachers, saying that the federation of teachers was already observing his social boycott.
They demanded reinstatement of the terminated faculty members of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University (SBBU) and appointment of VC as per HEC criteria.
Azhar Ali Shah said Nazir Mughal had been sent on forced leave by the governor’s house and it led to a peaceful environment in Sindh University but it did not suit the governor and the education minister and they had brought him back.
He demanded his removal to save environment in the university and appointment of an in-service VC.
Arfana Mallah said Mughal’s rejoining was harmful for the university and he should be removed immediately. She said the VC had been brought back after his forced leave expired and demanded that he should be removed immediately because he was destroying the institution.
Amar Sindhu said the return of VC had caused unrest among teachers, employees and students. She dismissed claims that teachers were vitiating the peaceful educational atmosphere of the university.
Prof Badar Soomro said the educational institutions of Sindh, including the SU, had been handed over to a ‘retired mafia’ and inept VCs chaired those higher seats of learning. Appointment of retired VCs is in violation of the criteria set by the HEC.
Nazeer Qureshi said educational institutions had been handed over to terrorists and goons who wanted to destroy the peaceful atmosphere of the university to create justification for establishment of a university in the city.
People of Sindh did not need university because they were aware of their rights and they would get them.
Labour Party Pakistan’s Dr Mubarak Ali said they were with teachers and their struggle would continue unless Mughal was removed. He said that teachers were not anti-education; they were trying to save education.
Sindh SAUTA President Suresh Kumar alleged that Mughal was involved in corruption. The government had allowed him to join the university only to destroy education and if it was not checked, all educational institutions would collapse.
Mukhtiar Abbasi of the Awami Jamhori Party said that a rally would be held for VC’s removal from Al Manzar to the local press club. He said the civil society would not allow Mughal to work as VC.
Leader of Sindh University Students Union Mashooq Qambrani said students had joined the struggle of teachers. He alleged that Mughal was an agent of the MQM; he was destroying education.