Against kidnapping of ICU vice chancellor: KP varsities shut down for indefinite period

All the public sector universities were shut down on Monday for indefinite in protest against the kidnapping of the Vice Chancellor, Islamia College University (ICU), Ajmal Khan. All public universities and their constituent institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would remain closed till further orders". It was decided in a meeting of the Vice Chancellors held here with Vice Chancellor, University of Peshawar, Dr Azmat Hayat Khan in the chair.
University of Peshawar of convocation scheduled for November 13 was also postponed to express solidarity with the abducted Vice Chancellor Professor Ajmal Khan and his family. The meeting was called after the video of the kidnapped Vice Chancellor of Islamia College University Professor Ajmal Khan was released on various television channels in which he, while reading from a note, urged the students, teachers to make efforts for securing his release by November 20th.
The Vice Chancellors fully endorsed the decision taken by FAPUASA to halt academic activities on campuses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because this is a joint issue of all the Universities. They said that the situation is very grave and needs abrupt action to ensure safe release of Professor Ajmal Khan and his driver Mohibullah. They urged the provincial, federal government and intelligence agencies to co-ordinate their effort for his timely release before the deadline given in the video.
This is the third case of a mishap with the Vice Chancellor of a public sector University in which one of the Vice Chancellor was assassinated as well, they added. The meeting said that Vice Chancellors are considered as soft targets and have been victims of kidnapping and murder in the past one and half years, which is an alarming sign for the education system of the country.
President Peshawar Teachers Association Professor Johar Ali said that FAPUASA has taken all the Universities in the country on board in this matter and soon they are going to join hands with us as well because it is an issue of great concern for all. The meeting unanimously passed resolution asking the federal and provincial governments to take all out measures for the release of Ajmal Khan and his driver Mohibullah who were kidnapped as move to sabotage the education system of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the country as a whole.
The meeting attended by Vice Chancellor UoP, Professor Azmat Hayat Khan as Chair, VC Engineering University Peshawar Imtiaz Gilani, Director IMS Professor Nasir Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor Abdul Wali Khan University Professor Ihsan Ali, Registrars of the Public sectors universities in KP, All Deans of UoP, Provost and administration staff of the University of Peshawar.