Fapuasa ends protest against SMIU VC ‘after successful talks’

While the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa) claims that the vice chancellor of the Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) has assured them to withdraw show-cause issued against faculty members who planned to form the Sindh Madressatul Islam University Teachers Association (SMUTA), the spokesperson of the SMIU on the other hand denied the issuance of show-cause in the first place.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the SMIU spokesperson said teachers were only told to “submit a copy of the registration certificate of the association [they were forming in the university] issued by the competent authority and other legal documents” as the news of the formation of the SMIU Teachers Society was making the rounds on social media.

But the Fapuasa Sindh chapter, in their press release, said faculty members of the public universities in Sindh on Tuesday observed black day as they condemned “the threats given to the faculty of the SMIU by their vice chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh” for planning to form the SMIU Teachers Association.

Following protests in the public universities, FAPUASA leaders “held successful talks with [SMIU] Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh who recognised the association and assured that show-cause notices issued to SMIU faculty members would be withdrawn,” said the FAPUASA press release. However, the SMIU spokesperson said in a statement that “no show-cause notice had been issued to any teacher or staff member.”

According to the Fapuasa leaders, the call for observing black day was given by them “to show their solidarity with the SMIU faculty”. Fapuasa vice president Dr Naimatullah Laghari, general secretary Dr Kaleemullah Bareech, and Sindh Chapter president Dr Nek Muhammad Shaikh also visited the SMIU and met with the faculty there, the press statement said.

On the other hand, the SMIU spokesman said: “The Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan guarantees the right of the freedom of association, in observance of such constitutional provisions, the Sindh Madressatul Islam University recognises this right and there is a Section 26 of the Sindh Madressatul Islam University (Conduct) Statues 2014 which deals with it.”

According to the country’s law, the spokesperson said, the establishment of any association can be considered illegal in the absence of four basic documents. They are “the registration certificate of the association, a certified copy of the articles memorandum, aims and objectives, by-laws of the association, letter of recognition in favour of such association by the university, in accordance with the Section 26 (2) of the Sindh Madressatul Islam University (Conduct) Statues 2014”.

“This is to clarify that the SMIU is the alma-mater of the Quaid-e-Azam and believes in the supremacy of the law. Beyond the likes and dislikes the varsity will always follow the rules,” the spokesman said.