On Tuesday, KU refused to let faculty members use the Arts auditorium to host the seminar, saying seminars related to sensitive issues were not allowed at university premises.
Ahead of the session, Rangers and Police thoroughly scanned cars, not allowing outsiders inside the university.
“No outsiders were allowed today and the people attending the session were brought in professor’s cars,” campus security adviser Dr Muhammad Zubair told The Express Tribune.
Regarding the attendance of Baloch activist Mama Qadeer, Zubair said, “Mama Qadeer did not enter the building this morning.”
“He may have been hiding here from last night, we are trying to investigate,” the campus security adviser added.
The organiser, Dr Riaz Ahmed, a professor at the Department of Applied Chemistry, gathered people in the arts lobby, where he said he appreciated their resolve for standing up to raise their voices against the “brutal killings of Baloch”.’
KARACHI: PHOTO: EXPRESS
“We are taking Sabeen’s vision forward,” he said, dedicating the talk to her. “She gave up her life for unsilencing the voice of Baloch missing persons,” Dr Riaz added.
The crowd included students from KU as well as Institute of Business Administration, NED University and civil society representatives. This, Riaz said, “is a sign that we are not afraid.”
“The administration is weak, which is why they have closed these doors today,” the professor said, pointing towards the Arts auditorium’s locked gate.
“After seeing this huge crowd, the administration should be ashamed and should open up doors for healthy discussions and talks,” he urged.
On April 30, the university registrar sent a letter to the organiser, Dr Riaz Ahmed, who is a faculty member of the department of applied chemistry. He conveyed the administration’s decision, saying that the “request cannot be acceded by the competent authority under the prevailing circumstances”. On Tuesday, another letter was sent to Dr Ahmed, reminding him that “organisation of seminars related to sensitive issues was not allowed in the university premises as per policy”.
Read: ‘Sensitive issue’: KU refuses to let its auditorium host seminar on missing persons
For his part, Dr Ahmed told The Express Tribune that the seminar would in fact take place at the scheduled time and venue. “From what I can gather from my sources, none of the security agencies have asked to cancel the seminar,” he reasoned. “It is only the KU administration that is stopping us.”
https://twitter.com/beenasarwar/status/595962312814678016
Further, students and faculty of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) issued a statement on Tuesday criticising the Karachi University’s decision to cancel a talk, titled Baloch Missing Persons and The Role of State and Society.
Read: Freedom of speech: KU slammed for cancelling Balochistan talk
Bravo, Comrade Riaz … I salute to you, sir !!!
You can’t stop people voice now, i will spread like wildfire. Sabeen your sacrifice will always be remembered.
keep politics out of education institute. these professors would rather focus on their work in classes than outside.
Well done Dr.. Riaz. You have stood up for the Balochs even after what has happened to so many people supporting Balochs. Most people don’t understand this but standing for Baloch rights is like standing up for own rights.
Try to discuss Tibet in China. Grow up you fools. Do what you’re supposed to do, teach and learn – progress forward and become China. Otherwise keep fighting each other, the state, and stay the third class nation that we are.
Kudos to Dr Riaz Ahmed.
Mama Qadeer needs to be heard but what about the families of victims of BLF & the hazaras in Balochistan. No forum on Balochistan is complete in the absence of voices that represent all victims of violence in Balochistan.
Suppressing and silencing the baloch voice would only multiply the problems, when we have very little time to solve the existing ones. Time to grow up…
Good job KU, you are brave enough Sir Riaz we people of Balochistan salute your.
Karachi makes me proud. That is why all dictators dislike my Karachi. This city stands up for justice and free expression of one’s point of view. That is why all dictators dislike it and rough it up.
Bunch of losers.
Why are LUMS people criticizing KU’s decision? It was the administration’s decision. Atleast the student and faculty of University of Karachi had guts to protest and let the talk happen despite bad security arrangement in the University where anyone can enter the campus easily. The lums people could also do that. It is the spirit that counts. So stop criticizing. It’s students and faculty that are actual KU and we did today being a public university what so called private university couldn’t do.
@Hassan:
There are better things about China to follow, such as- not tolerating religious fanaticism & abolishing feudal structure in society… Tibet brings China bad publicity in civilized world.
Funny the KU faculty was nowhere to be seen at the ghastly mass
murder of poor laborers in Turbat !!
Dr Ahmad is stupid person he has to kicking out KU. I don’t thick he is Pakistani,
This kind of of persons not allow this kind of activities
@abc:
Dr Ahmad is a educated Pakistani, unlike many of my brethren who can neither read nor right as we are pouring our resources in the wrong direction. The strength of a country is education, fairness available via courts, good health the will to live together, and of course armed forces. .
Its a shame what happened to Sabeen and in general , to the Balochi people by the punjab governnemt, pak army and mining corporates of pakistan.. Very bad state of affairs in Balochistan. Now don’t come and immediately indulge in whataboutism. I know what happens in Kashmir too.
Wake up Pakistan. Next could be you!!
Dear Sir/Madam
I was a student of Applied Chemistry in late 90’s where Dr. Riaz taught various subjects. He is a brilliant and highly qualified teacher who does his job with honest and utmost professionalism. Simultaneous with that he is a staunch human right activist who has been vocal for oppressed people in Pakistan. He believes in changing minds with democratic and peaceful means. I salute Dr. Riaz’s efforts for the sake of enlightened Pakistan throughout his professional career.
Regards,
Farrukh
USA-Virginia
What about thousands killed by MQM and other terrorist organizations in Karachi, specially 275+ burnt alive in one shot in foctory. Will these foreign influence agents (So-Called Civil Society) ever speak for them ?
If KU considers Mama Qadreer to be heard at its campus than it should also invite those who attacked the bus today in Karachi killing 40+people. Similarly, Mullah Fazullah should also be invited to present his point of view on killing children in Peshwar school. Can anyone explain the difference between the killings by Balochs and those killed in Karachi bus today or Peshawar school last December.