Karachi University assistant professor gunned down

KARACHI: Unidentified attackers gunned down an assistant professor teaching at the Karachi University in Dastageer area of the city on Wednesday, police said.

According to police, Dr Waheedur Rehman was a resident of Federal B Area Lateef Square and his vehicle was targeted by the gunmen on motorcycles in Dastageer shortly after the professor left his residence.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Liaquatabad Tahir Noorani said Rehman – who also went by the name Yasir Rizvi – died on the spot after receiving bullets to his head and shoulder.

A security advisor at the Karachi University confirmed that Rehman was a member of faculty at the university’s Mass Communications department. He had until recently served as the media advisor of the university's Vice Chancellor, and penned opinion articles and columns for newspapers.

An autopsy report later revealed that Rehman was shot five times – with four bullets in his head, neck, right shoulder and stomach. Police surgeon Dr Jalil Qadir confirmed that Waheed had expired before his body was brought to the hospital.

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Links to slain KU dean Dr Shakeel Auj

The killing of Dr Rehman comes months after the KU’s dean of Islamic Studies department, Shakeel Auj, was gunned down in Gulshan-i-Iqbal in September last year.

Speaking to Geo News, Shakeel Auj's son said Rehman was a close confidante of his father.

“Dr Yasir Rizvi was my father's student and completed his Phd under his supervision. He was my father’s confidante, was very close to our family and remained in touch with us on a daily basis,” said Auj's son Dr Mohammad Hassam.





Hassam said Rehman was assisting his family in the investigation of his father's murder.

“He was always making efforts in my father’s case, always telling me not to worry and that he would take care of things. He always told me to be cautious, and now look what has happened to him,” said Hassam.

“This appears to be a chain (of killings) and somebody else may be next,” said Shakeel Auj’s son.

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Students protest teacher’s killing, educational activities suspended at KU

Shortly after news of the professor’s killing, students at the Karachi University protested against the murder of Waheedur Rehman blocking University Road near the Silver Jubilee Gate.



The Karachi University suspended all educational activities and examinations for two days in the wake of the killing of its faculty member.

Educational activity will remain suspended for one hour at universities across Sindh on Thursday.

The Karachi University Teachers' Society (KUTS) said Rehman’s funeral prayers will be offered at the varsity’s Masjid-e-Ibrahim after Maghrib prayers today, following which the slain professor will be laid to rest inside the university’s grounds.

“Not one year has passed since the killing of Dr Shakeel Auj and the Karachi University has suffered another loss,” said KUTS president Prof Jamil Hasan Kazmi at a press conference.

“Whoever is behind these incidents, they cannot silence the voice of the teachers. We demand that culprits behind the murder of Dr Waheedur Rehman be immediately arrested,” he said.

The KUTS said a condolence reference will be held for the slain teacher at the Karachi University on Thursday.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, taking notice of the incident Wednesday evening, condemned the incident and has asked for an immediate report.

He added that the government is making the utmost efforts to eliminate terrorism from Karachi and that he hoped normality would return soon to the city.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain has demanded that the murderers of the assistant professor be arrested as he claimed that terrorists were being allowed to play with the lives of Karachi residents.