PU teachers to protest against metro train

LAHORE
Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) Tuesday announced launching a protest drive against construction of offices for Orange Train project at PU Town 1, Raiwind Road.
The announcement was made at the PUASA general body meeting presided over by Vice President Arts Prof Dr Abid Hussain Ch. VP Science Dr Faheem Aftab, Secretary Dr Mahboob Hussain and a large number of faculty members were present.
Dr Mahboob Hussain briefed the meeting that the government had publically promised not to use land of Town 1 for the Orange train project but now survey teams were conducting surveys of various houses for construction of offices for the project. He said although the routine of train was on the other side, bureaucracy was bringing bad name to the government and making the project controversial.
Addressing the meeting, senior teachers said it was unfortunate that Khawaja Ahmed Hassan had publically promised in the presence of the media and more than 200 faculty members that the land of Town 1 would not be used for the project and despite the promise survey teams were conducting surveys on the location.
They said PU teachers had strong reservations over it. The general body decided to launch a protest drive against the project and summoned another meeting of general body on October 22.
Earlier, ASA President Dr Hassan Mobeen Alam along with senior teachers called on Khawaja Ahmed Hassan at his office and conveyed him the reservations of the teaching community on the project.
JI: Jamaat-e-Islami secretary-general Liaqat Baloch has said the Punjab University teachers are justified in protesting against using their housing colony land under the Orange train project.
In a statement on Tuesday, Liaqat Baloch stressed the Punjab government to abide by its agreement with the university teachers’ representative body, Punjab University Academic Staff Association, on the issue. He urged the government not to create problems for all sections of society and take decisions on the basis of justice and ground realities.
The JI secretary-general condemned bomb blast at Quetta and expressed sympathies with the bereaved families. He called for implementation of National Action Plan against terrorism.
Commenting on Shiv Sena actions, Liaqat Baloch said India’s real face had been exposed.
He counseled the Pakistan Cricket Control Board not to be soft toward India. Instead, he said, India should be exposed to the entire world. He said pro-India elements in the country had also been exposed so far as they were silent on Shiv Sena’s violence against Muslims.