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AN event scheduled at LUMS had to be cancelled at the last minute “on order from the government”, according to the university’s official statement.
The event was a panel discussion on Balochistan and one of the speakers was Mama Qadeer, who came to prominence when he led a march from Quetta to Islamabad to protest the brutal disappearances of Baloch youth that is the hallmark of the counterinsurgency the security forces are waging in the province.
Mama Qadeer’s own son is amongst the disappeared. The “order from the government” was personally delivered by an officer of the security services to the acting dean of the programme that hosted the talk, and had been preceded by attempts from officers at the interior ministry to reach the LUMS management.
Know more: Lums students protest ‘academic censorship’
It is totally unacceptable for the government, and more specifically the security agencies, to pressure an academic institution to cancel an event. Universities are curators of the educational process whose sanctity must be defended against all attempts to place curbs on it.
But it is also important to note that the decision to cancel the event was made by LUMS. While such pressure being exerted on institutions by the security establishment is not unknown, there is no obligation to act “on order from the government” — perhaps even less so if such orders come from the security services. In fact, LUMS would have been well within its rights to have insisted that such orders be routed through the proper channels, whatever they may be.
The subject of the planned discussion was no doubt an important one, but the organisers ought to have known that the event they were planning could spark such a reaction from the security agencies.
It is unfortunate that in this case, LUMS was unable to demonstrate the independence that should ideally be a feature of every centre of learning.
The question remains whether such sensitive events should be planned at all if a university is not capable of dealing with their fallout. In fact, buckling under pressure might have done more damage than good to the cause of justice for Balochistan’s disappeared.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2015
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Comments (46) Closed
Apr 11, 2015 01:17am
Good editorial.
LUMS did something wrong here, and then tried to give an excuse thats laughable. Whose orders? Written or verbal? Did LUMS insist on written orders? Is LUMS thinking about going to court?
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Apr 11, 2015 01:22am
Brilliant editorial!
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Apr 11, 2015 02:08am
Suppression of voices will only exacerbate the balochistan issue. These debates should be allowed so that Pakistani's can understand what is happening in their country. If some people in balochistan are involved in anti state activities they should be highlighted and presented before a court rather than dumping bodies of the accused. If these terrorist kill innocent it doesnot mean that our state should also kill innocent in the name of counter insurgency. "Ek begunah ka qatal sari insaniyat ka qatal h"
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Apr 11, 2015 03:50am
Having several cousins who are LUMS alum, they were quite disappointed to learn of the government's Orwellian stance on curtailing and interjecting itself into a student initiated event. It's quite sad and doesn't reflect well on Nawaz and company which claims to be a so-called democratic government.
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Apr 11, 2015 06:05am
Apparently the focus was not on holding the event, rather on getting it cancelled and raise a storm in tea cup
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Apr 11, 2015 07:20am
Freedom-of-speech is important. Why not invite Mullah Fazlullah to come speak up against Pakistan too? He's a terrorist just like "Mama Baloch"(Abdul Qadeer Reigi), and terrorists ought to be given a platform.
Abdul Qadeer Reigi("Mama") has been involved in terrorist activities. His "missing person" son, he fails to mention, was a militant fighting for the "Baloch Republican Army". Mama bloch's other unsavory activities involve embezzling funds from MCB while being an employee of the bank.
Completely warped perspective on a terrorist, due to a poorly informed(Thanks Dawn!) Lums burger crowd.
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Apr 11, 2015 07:46am
A guy like Asad Umar was invited and subsequently cancelled, by LUMS without any pressure from any Security Agency. Now, they felt the need to broadcast the views of a person which would clearly irk the Security Agencies. What is LUMS trying to achieve ?
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Apr 11, 2015 07:53am
Its another sad day in history of Pakistan, education institutes need to come forward and present both sides of arguments. Institutions don't to side with anyone, but they need to a bigger role of discussing the matters publically. Its healthy for public and students alike. For Security forces or so called protectors I suppose its a challenge.
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Apr 11, 2015 08:13am
When you are not free to speak, write you become dead.
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Apr 11, 2015 08:21am
@ayza
Right because this was in the hands of the Nawaz administration at all.
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Apr 11, 2015 08:22am
Good, there is no reason to give these separatists a platform to voice their hatred in form of free speech! There is no country in the world where such separatists are given such freedom. By waving Pakistani flags at the rally doesn't hide their Anti-state actions
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Apr 11, 2015 08:30am
Why would you even invite a person to deliver a lecture who is been flagged by our government ?
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Apr 11, 2015 09:06am
The onnus is on LUMS that agreed to be pushed around as the track record of such letter from Goverment on many occassion do not fall under legal peramter these Goverment agencies operate, they get away with it because no one challenges or question them. Disappointed to see the top academics fall for the oldest trick in the book. Academics must question, challenge and even push boundries in these times when secutry agencies are getting away with anything under the blue sky.
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Apr 11, 2015 09:30am
I am going to LUMs soon for admission. Personally I think it was a good move by the government to avoid potential danger towards the very foundation of a university; its students.
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Apr 11, 2015 09:42am
If the Mama is so mild, why is he so controversial? Isn't he also a separatist? And isn't India involved in the Balochistan insurgencies? Why don't you give the full picture?
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Apr 11, 2015 10:28am
It doesn't matter how much we deny this fact but our security agencies do keep a handle on what's going on in Pakistan to keep the water boiling at the right temprature. And please don't expect Lums teachers to take stand against security agencies, that's unfair: they're teachers not revolutionaries, and that too with families. What the media should also be questioning is why is mama such a big threat to the security of Pakistan? If he's done something anti state why hasn't a case been registered against him by the security agencies?
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Apr 11, 2015 10:28am
When security agencies give vague ultimatums such as; cancel it "or else", the respective institutions power to remain headstrong is severely undermined.
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Apr 11, 2015 10:47am
@Afeef : You answered the question. For that very reason. She is victim herself and want to voice and reason her side of story. Second reason why she has been flagged.
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Apr 11, 2015 10:51am
There are some group who want to blame Government for some actions, actually it is not like this.
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Apr 11, 2015 10:52am
@Afeef ....this is exactly what universities are there for....to promote talks and free speech....
and to give voice to both the government and the people who have been flagged by it
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Apr 11, 2015 11:02am
@AYZA your cousins have yet to read books written on our history, other than those part of an accademic programme; otherwise, their view on things would have been much informed.
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Apr 11, 2015 11:09am
Balochistan is a bleeding wound on the body politic of Pakistan. The problem is purely political, can be controlled & resolved via political means. Brutal force has produced negative results, e.g. erstwhile East Pakistan. Security agencies are shy of talking about the problem and force is being considered as the last resort and with the same mindset LUMS has been restrained to air purely discussion orient program on Balochistan. Iron curtaining of the issue multiply the problem manifolds; our estranged Baloch Brothers & Sisters have to be tamed while sitting on the table. The Balochistan problem has link with economic interest of the Baloch Sardars, as the government of Pakistan during the era of Mushraf stopped or curtailed the payments of royalty on the minerals underneath the lands owned and possessed by Baloch Sardars from the times of their ancestors. A little sacrifice of monetary interest on part of the government can bring big boost towards resolution of this problem.
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Apr 11, 2015 11:11am
@Sohraab wah sohraab jee what an argument! As far as I know mama doesn't profess to kill Muslim leaders siding with US? Neither has he been involved in any suicide bombings to achieve his objectives. He is a Pakistani citizen who is questioning the government on arbitrary exercise of violence. How does that compare to mullah Omar et al?
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Apr 11, 2015 11:12am
Please have the moral courage to also narrate and inform the highly questionable profile and background of Mama Qadeer and his dead son and their links with Brahmdag Bugti and the BLA
LUMS cannot be used to malign and condemn the security agencies in a one sided manner
Have a debate /writing contest based upon facts not fiction to understand the cancer that LUMS aims to glorify
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Apr 11, 2015 11:13am
@Maqsood not right. If that was the case why isn't the government explaining its side?
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Apr 11, 2015 11:18am
@ Ain ul Momina don't agree, its just narration of facts. Analysis about lums not taking a stand is unfair. Read comment by Aftab Alam Khan: he's spot on. It's not for teachers to take a stand, these guys know books and words, they have families. Why do we elect members to the parliament. They should take a stand!
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Apr 11, 2015 12:08pm
Baluchistan needs development, equality of share of resources, employment and prosperity and fair justice system. Let the government conduct the fair trail and if any innocent youth were killed or disappeared by any security agency should be brought to justice. Pakistan is for all.
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Apr 11, 2015 12:22pm
The panel for the programme including moderator all belonged to one specific section of society (Call them anti-Army or Anti-Establishment or Anti-state). This was going to be a one sided discussion bashing security agencies/LEAs so they got infuriated and cancelled it.
Tomorrow LUMS should also hold a talk on FATA causalities and invite only relatives and supporters of TTP militants, How about that ? Can you tolerate that ?
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Apr 11, 2015 12:22pm
I am not surprised - LUMS is there for the rich and elite and it is this section of the society that has made life difficult for the common man. This is the balancing act the elite has to do to ensure that the privileges they have continue.
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Apr 11, 2015 12:33pm
Fully agreed with "It is unfortunate that in this case, LUMS was unable to demonstrate the independence that should ideally be a feature of every centre of learning." -DAWN
Yes and this will continue to happen until the educational institutions develop the back bone and moral courage to refuse unconstitutional and illegal orders of the government. It is very sad that LUMS as a premier educational institution of the country has set a bad example.
It is about time that we as a nation, our government and our establishment learn from the lessons of the past. Freedom of expression and right to debate is critical for eventual solution of outstanding issues and for strengthening our country. Those who prevent such freedoms are naïve
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Apr 11, 2015 12:56pm
@Aarez please I don't still understand what "flag" Is it a new legal term in our jurisprudence? Has this term been used in the PPC or the Crpc or the Qanoon-e-Shaadat. Is it a a constitutional term? Does it have an y justiciable cretirion? Please can someone please explain. NFP being a social scientist should write a column on this.
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Apr 11, 2015 01:06pm
Excellent balanced Editorial once again. Dear Dawn, keep it up. We badly need some saner voices like yours.
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Apr 11, 2015 01:45pm
@Mohsin let's hear him and find out if he's a separatist or not? We're not another country in the wrold, we're Pakistan, a country which has a constitution, a grund norm we've agreed for ourselves, let's live by its spirit. Please also elaborate on the anti state activity that he has been involved in. Is riding a bike from Quetta o Islo anti state. Is asking where your son is anii state. What is anti state, let's discuss and determine.
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Apr 11, 2015 01:53pm
@Nizamuddin Ahmad Aali man mama is he not she
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Apr 11, 2015 02:25pm
@Moid that a good way to begin a comment: condemn the act as being wrong. So you've reached a conclusion before you even begin the debate. Great! LuMS has given an official statement. Now it's up to the anyone who disagrees with the official statement to press charges against Lums if they are either agreived or otherwise have a calim against it under the law.
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Apr 11, 2015 02:34pm
@Mr. K unfortunate but sensible approach in the face of an an existential threat.
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Apr 11, 2015 04:21pm
@Mian Shahid Mehmood
Do not mislead the forum. Musharraf never stopped any rightful dues to Baluchistan.
As a matter of fact he developed the province most in all sectors including a cadet college and reserved seats for Baluchs in professional colleges across Pakistan
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Apr 11, 2015 04:32pm
@Omer Agencies succeed only when operate covertly. The more the secrecy the higher the success. Do some homework on what they have been doing starting from news today of killing 20 laborers in Turbat Balochistan.
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Apr 11, 2015 04:33pm
if LUMS is so concerned about Balochis then they should announce building a university in Quetta. Secondly they should aware people of BLA influence
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Apr 11, 2015 05:24pm
This mama qadir is a cheat. He was removed from habib bank on commiting fraud where he was employee once. He is hired by enemy states of Pakistan for obvious reason.
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Apr 11, 2015 05:46pm
I dont think there is any legal authority for asking Lums to cancel the event. The point about the 'order coming through the proper channel' is moot.
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Apr 11, 2015 07:27pm
@kk it's the government's job to build universities, universities' job is to encourage students to ask questions. What is BLA by the way?
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Apr 11, 2015 08:26pm
how many of you ll go their home and tell their family about why blochs have killed these laborers???
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Apr 11, 2015 10:44pm
@khan good comment
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Apr 12, 2015 12:35am
@AYZA Do not blame Nawaz the poor guy is not at fault. It is the hidden hands that are responsible.
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Apr 12, 2015 03:33am
Article failed to address why Govt. asked to cancel the event ? Understand that Mama Qadeer's son disappeared and he is protesting but how can his presence in such debate cause any issues ?
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