ISLAMABAD: The imam of Faisal Mosque has been barred from speaking on political issues or even seeking Allah’s guidance for the rulers of the country during his Friday sermons following a complaint by an intelligence agency.

“I have advised the imam not to indulge himself in political issues as Faisal Mosque is for all the Muslims irrespective of their political and religious affiliations,” Dr Masoom Yasinzai, the rector of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), told Dawn.

He said he took the step after a complaint by an intelligence agency that the imam during his recent Friday sermon had sought Allah’s guidance for the rulers.

The rector was talking to Dawn after a protest by the Federation of All-Pakistan Universities Staff Association (FAPUSA) against the IIUI administration for not allowing its representatives to hold an event in the university’s auditorium on Tuesday.

The association announced to hold a countrywide black day against what its office-bearers said anti-democratic and irresponsible attitude of the varsity administration.

The rector said universities were meant for academic discussions and for holding an event at the auditorium the organisers should have taken prior permission.

“We have a committee, which receives applications and discusses the agenda of any event before giving the final approval. After scrutiny of the agenda and the speakers, the university gives permission for holding the events. But in this case, the process was not followed by FAPUSA and the Academic Staff Association of the IIUI,” the rector said.

“Suppose any speaker speaks against the government/HEC, the federation etc., it is difficult for the university administration to tackle the issue. That’s why we request all organisers to follow the proper procedure for getting permission for using the auditorium.”

“So under these circumstances, how can we give permission to everyone to use our platform to deliver speeches? If teachers want to use our platform they have to follow the university’s rules and get permission. We strongly believe that the IIUI is meant for academic discussions and we always support healthy debates on important issues,” he said.

On the other hand, the FAPUSA said it would observe the black day on Wednesday across the country. According to the association, teachers wanted to hold an academic event to discuss various issues such as the post-18th constitutional amendment and higher education scenario in the country and academic and administrative reforms in the higher education sector.

In the light of the 18th amendment, major components of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) should have been devolved to provinces. However, because of legal and technical issues, the matter has been pending for over years.

“The elected faculty representatives belonging to various public sector universities gathered on Tuesday morning at the Allama Iqbal Auditorium of the IIUI Faisal Mosque campus but it was a matter of utter surprise for the participants that the doors of the auditorium were closed,” said a press release issued by FAPUSA. It said the faculty members, including women, were even not allowed to sit at any other alternative place. As a result, they observed a protest in front of the main entrance to the campus.

“Barring the teachers from discussing academic issues on campus is an injustice. Universities are meant for discussions, the Academic Staff Association of the IIUI had taken permission for holding the event but when the teachers reached there they found the doors of the auditorium locked,” President FAPUSA Dr Kaleemullah Bareach told Dawn. He said the teachers were also to discuss the issue of unemployed PhD scholars.

The teachers called upon the prime minister to take serious notice of the matter.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2017