Police tortures of senior professor Arbab Afridi sparks condemnation

PESHAWAR: The police torture on a senior and respectable professor of the University of Peshawar, Dr Arbab Khan Afridi, has provoked widespread condemnation and academicians as well as students have demanded of the provincial government, top judiciary and police high ups to impartially probe the matter and award punishment to those involved in tormenting and insulting the teacher.

According to Dr Arbab Khan Afridi, he was alone in a small market opposite the University of Peshawar to buy some vegetables the other day when he received a severe blow with baton on his back. “When I looked back, I saw a policeman beating me harshly. After four to five blows with quick succession, I fell down and became unconscious,” he said when reached by The News on phone.

Instead of rushing him to the hospital, the police took him to the Town Police Station where they insisted on registering a case against him, he said.

“Nobody was listening to me. I was not aware of any violation committed by me and insisted them to show me the reason for insulting and torturing me. My body was aching and I felt severe pain in my arm which was later found to have been fractured,” Arbab Khan Afridi said. After some time in the police station, his lawyer arrived and got him free. “I then lodged complaints with the police high ups to look into the matter or at least tell me about my mistake but to no avail,” he said.

“Today some police personnel visited my house. They were saying that they were inquiring the matter. I recorded my statement with them,” said the 66-year-old retired professor. Dr Arbab Khan Afridi served as director of the Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of Peshawar. He was elected as president of Peshawar University Teachers Association (PUTA) a number of times. Currently, he runs a coaching academy for students named Master’s Coaching Academy (MCA). Owing to closure of the university due to the Covid-19 pandemic, very few people got to know about the incident of the in time.

On Saturday, former president PUTA Dr Jamil Ahmad Chitrali highlighted the matter on his Facebook wall. He condemned the incident and urged the government, chief justice Peshawar High Court and police authorities to probe the matter. He said that the incident was a reflection of the performance of “KP’s exemplary police”. “Despite my ideological differences with him, I have found Arbab Khan Afridi as a down-to-earth and friendly person,” he remarked.

PUTA President Dr Fazle Nasir also strongly condemned the torture and insult of Arbab Khan Afridi and urged the quarters concerned to take immediate notice of the matter and award exemplary punishment to those involved in torturing the honourable professor.

Talking to The News, he said that PUTA has already issued condemnation of the matter. He said that Dr Arbab Khan Afridi was no doubt a role model for them. He noted that the retired professor has always remained active for the wellbeing of the community and has served as president of the association several times. “Even now he is very active. He comes to the university and gives us his precious advice for the welfare of the community. He may have ideological difference with us but I have great respect for him and I am shocked at what happened to him,” Dr Fazle Nasir said.

Former chairman Department of International Relations, Dr Ijaz Khan said: “Despite having political differences with Prof (Retd) Arbab Afridi, former president PUTA and chairman Federation of All Pakistan University Academic Association (FAPUASA), I strongly condemn police brutality with him.”

Director IER Dr Arshad Ali also condemned the incident and demanded of the provincial government and governor to suspend the station house officer of Town Police Station forthwith and take stern action against the policemen involved in torturing the professor. A senior alumnus of the university, Habibur Rahman Orakzai wrote on his facebook wall: “He was broken, depressed and his heart damage was far more than his physical wounds. A person who has always remained positive and hopeful throughout his life was dejected. He was tortured and beaten by SHO University Town Police Station Asif Khan for no reason.”