FAPUASA condemns termination in SMIU

Islamabad:Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations (FAPUASA) has strongly condemned the unjust termination of Prof Abdul Majeed Pirzada of Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU), Karachi.

This abrupt and arbitrary action raised serious concerns about the violation of due process and the deliberate bypassing of established disciplinary procedures which threatens the credibility and sanctity of the institution.

In a statement, it said it is deeply alarming that Dr Pirzada’s termination appears to be an act of retaliation directly linked to his efforts to expose corruption and administrative malpractices within the university. Rather than addressing the serious issues highlighted by Dr Pirzada, the university administration chose to suppress dissent by targeting a whistleblower.

This action created an environment of fear, insecurity and intimidation among the faculty severely undermining academic freedom and eroding trust in the university’s governance, it said.

In view of these serious developments, FAPUASA made an earnest appeal to the Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, who serves as the Chancellor of SMIU, to take immediate notice of the situation and order a fair, impartial and transparent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Dr Pirzada’s termination. At the same time, it also appealed to the Governor Sindh to intervene and ensure that the fundamental rights of university faculty are protected and that institutional integrity is upheld.

FAPUASA strongly demanded immediate reinstatement of Dr Pirzada to his position, pending the outcome of the independent inquiry. Furthermore, it urged the university administration and all concerned authorities to guarantee full protection to faculty members against any form of harassment, victimisation or reprisal for exercising their constitutional right to free speech, academic freedom, and professional integrity.