The Sindh University Teachers Association (SUTA) with joint support of
Sindh Chapter of Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff
Association (FAPUASA), Sindh Professors & Lecturers Association
(SPLA), Government School Teachers Association (GSTA), Primary Teachers
Association (PTA), Sindh University Shadow Student Union, Sindh Chapter
of Pakistan Medication Association (PMA) and Center for Peace &
Civil Society (CPCS) arranged a rally from Sindh University Old Campus
to Press Club Hyderabad.
In the protest program leaders, activists and supporters of many political parties including Sindh Taraqi Passand Party (STP), Awami Jhamoori Party (AJP), Labor Party Sindh, Communist Party and some other people’s organizations took part actively.
Participants of the rally gathered at Sindh University Old Campus at 12 noon and marched towards Hyderabad Press Club raising the slogans demanding immediate replacement of controversial SU VC Nazir Mughul, arrest of the killers of Prof Channar, restoration of student unions and immediate deweaponization of the campus.
The rally was addressed by leaders of teaches associations including Prof Muhammad Usman Keerio, Dr Azhar Ali Shah, Dr Arfana Mallah, Prof Suresh Kumar, Prof Liaqat Aziz, Mr Zameer Ahmed and Mr Rafqiue Ahmed Jarwar. On behalf of civil society organizations, renowned intellectual Mr Jami Chandio and representatives of the above organizations also shared their views.
The speakers criticized the role of Sindh Education Minister Mr Pir Mazharul Haq in becoming the party of the controversial VC Nazir Mughul and issuing threats to academics that are raising voice against the injustice. They said by doing so Pir Mazhar is not only insulting the university teaching community, students and employees but the civil society, the intelligentsia, the socio-political parties and all the people of Sindh in general who are supporting teachers demands aimed at the betterment of the educational environment at the University of Sindh.
The speakers strongly condemned the atrocities of controversial VC Nazir Mughul inflicted on university teachers by using police and Rangers. They said since a couple of days, Nazir Mughul had ordered police mobiles to be parked at the main gate of the administration block (AC-II) where teachers used to observe their peaceful protest. The police are deliberately confronting the teachers and resisting them from observing the protest. They warned that the voice of Sindh University Teachers and their representatives can’t be suppressed by use of any force; however, these tactics played by Nazir Mughul will tremendously tarnish the image and reputation of the University of Sindh as the protest will further grow at the massive level across Sindh and Pakistan with the joint support of all the participants of today’s rally.
The speakers demanded the Sindh Chief Minister, the Chancellor, the Chairperson HEC, the Prime Minister and the President of Pakistan to take serious note of the worsening situation at the University of Sindh owing to record maladministration, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, mismanagement and inefficiency of the incumbent retired controversial Vice-Chancellor Nazir Mughul coupled with undue and illegal interference of Pir Mazharul Haq. Immediate action must be taken for removal of Nazir Mughul and appointment of a person with sound integrity and academic excellence as new vice-chancellor as per HEC criteria besides the implementation of other demands. Any delay in this regard could further disturb the academic activities in the public sector institutes of education from primary schools to University level across Sindh.
