ISLAMABAD: Vice Chancellor Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad survived unhurt an attack during national flag-hoisting ceremony at the university here on Sunday.
According to police and university administration, QAU VC Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Shah narrowly escaped the gun attack due to timey intervention by a security staff. The vice chancellor was moving back to his car after hoisting nation flag on the occasion of 75th Independence Day. In the meanwhile, an employee pointed a gun in his face. The attacker, however, misfired three bullets when a security staff standing nearby rushed and pushed his hand.
When contacted the VC confirmed the incident, saying that the attacker has been handed over to the police by the security staff of the university. According to him, it was an unexpected and surprising incident and apparently a murder attempt.
“I don’t know the reason behind such an extreme step taken by the university employee. Since police are investigating, things will be clear in the investigation,” he said.
Later in a Tweet, QAU Registrar Raja Qaiser Ahmed claimed that the attacker was identified as Jawad Ali, an intern at the Computer Science Department. According to him, in the initial statement the attacker has claimed that he had taken the step for not getting a regular job in the university.
Meanwhile the teaching fraternity and students have condemned the attack on the VC.
A teaching faculty, while commenting on the extreme step taken by the attacker, says apart from condemning it, the relevant higher authorities should also know the reasons behind such incidents. According to him, the uncertainty among the temporary, visiting and contractual faculty and staff, who are left at the mercy of VCs, registrars of the universities are causing depression and anxiety among such employees.
He believes the unchallengeable role and power of VCs in universities of the country under the existing law should be reviewed/ reconsidered.
