ISLAMABAD: Mian Raza Rabbani, Former Chairman Senate has condemned use of force against students in Islamabad and teachers, employees of universities in Peshawar.
Police action against students, teachers and employees of universities in Peshawar are highly condemnable and it speaks volumes of government’s frustration, Rabbani said in a statement here on Tuesday.
The demand of the Federation of all Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chapter, are genuine, they call for setting up a Higher Education Commission at the provincial level, revocation of increase in students fees and reduction in allowances of teachers, allowing 25 per cent disparity reduction allowance, he said.
The baton charge, registration of an FIR and arrest of 21 teachers of various universities is condemnable and their immediate release along with withdrawal of cases demanded, Rabbani said.
Similarly, students were lathi charged, arrested and their motorcycles confiscated by the Islamabad police. This act is condemned and the withdrawal of cases and release of students is demanded.
Such actions against academia and students are not new under the present government. Students in Lahore had been charged under the Anti-Terrorist Act and for sedation. This is a crude attempt to curtail and clamp down on academic freedom.
Such crackdowns on students, intellectuals and university professors are a hallmark of a fascist state which cannot tolerate dissent. The clamp down by the state on lawful dissent and denial of the fundamental rights envisaged in the Constitution, 1973 amounts to weakening of the Federation.
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