QUETTA: Academic staff and employees of universities across Balochistan observed a black day on Tuesday to protest the disappearance of Gwadar University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Abdul Razzaq Sabir, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Manzoor, Lecturer Dr Irshad, and their staff member, and demanded their immediate and safe recovery.
The protest was held on the call of the Academic Staff Association (ASA) of the University of Balochistan and the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA), Balochistan Chapter. Demonstrations and peaceful protests were organised in several universities, including the University of Balochistan; Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering, and Management Sciences; University of Turbat; Khuzdar Engineering University; Loralai University; Lasbela University; Sibi University; and Gwadar University.
During the protests, office-bearers of the Academic Staff Association tied black armbands on the hands of teachers, employees, and officers to register their peaceful protest. Participants demanded that the missing professors and their colleague be recovered immediately and that security be ensured for teachers, university staff, officers, and citizens.
Speakers expressed serious concern over the growing incidents of kidnapping and targeted killing of teachers in the province, urging the government to take immediate and effective measures to protect educational institutions and academic staff.
Meanwhile, at the University of Turbat, faculty members and administrative staff organised a protest walk against the disappearance of Prof Dr Abdul Razzaq Sabir, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Syed Manzoor Ahmed, Lecturer Dr Irshad, and staff member Hatim.
The participants of the walk appealed to the government and law enforcement agencies to ensure their early and safe recovery, stressing that such incidents had caused deep anxiety among families of the missing individuals, university staff, students, and the wider society.
They warned that such unfortunate incidents were negatively affecting academic activities in Balochistan. The protesters also paid tribute to the services of Prof Dr Abdul Razzaq Sabir, Dr Syed
Manzoor Ahmed, and Dr Irshad Baloch for the promotion of higher education in the province.
At the end of the walk, the participants reiterated solidarity with the affected families and again demanded immediate and dignified release of the missing university officials and staff member on humanitarian grounds.
Additionally, FAPUASA and ASA announced that protest demonstrations will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday (today) at the University of Balochistan and other universities across the province. Teachers, employees, officers, students, and citizens were urged to participate in large numbers to show solidarity with the academic community.
