LCWU clerical staff association spoils festival

The association of (male) clerical staff at the Lahore College for Women University showed its real face within a few months of its formation as its leaders came to get free foodstuff at a spring festival the institute organised for students after a lapse of almost seven years. The university administration under the leadership of acting vice-chancellor Prof Dr Farhat Saleemi organised a spring festival in collaboration with the Gender Reform Action Plan last week. The university hired the services of Al-Rahman Events & Catering Management for the festival. The company started setting up its stalls and stage for the event when its executive director (operations), Irfan Khawar Dar, spotted seven people roaming on the campus. As he asked them to show their identity, the group reportedly misbehaved with him while introducing themselves as union leaders. Mr Dar reported the incident to the university faculty and administration officials and the clerical staff left the venue while hurling threats. The festival was going on smoothly the next day when association president Nisar Ahmad Bazmi, along with Imran, Saghir Ahmad and Nadeem, entered the university around 3pm and clashed with Mr Dar after they were allegedly refused free eatables by the owners of different stalls. Mr Dar told Dawn that the seven officials led by Nisar Bazmi and Imran thrashed him and when he tried to put up resistance, about two dozen more clerks armed with sticks came there. He alleged that they also pelted him with bricks, leaving him injured. A Student Council office-bearer, requesting anonymity, confirmed that the clerks illegally entered the university on holiday and created fuss. She stated that she had officially informed the university administration about the incident, fearing that such an issue could again jeopardise the festival or for that matter any other healthy activity for students in future. The faculty members concerned said they requested Mr Dar to apologise with the employees to hush up the incident and he did so. Still, they said, the clerical staff threatened him with dire consequences and they had to rescue and send Mr Dar from varsity`s Lawrence Road gate. A stall manager said he and others around tried to rescue Mr Dar but one of his own staff members got injured. He alleged that nine pairs of jeans were stolen from his stall during the brawl. Many valuables were stolen also from other stalls, though the managers did not officially report it. The LCWU acting VC regretted that the varsity staff members thrashed the event management company official without any justification. "If the university staff had any complaint with the event organisers, they should have reported to the administration instead of taking law into their hands," she said. She also admitted that the clerical staff had no right to enter the varsity campus when it was closed and spring festival was in progress for girl students. Prof Saleemi admitted that the owners of the stalls were justified in refusing free eatables to the university employees. "Now, the clerical staff members are tendering apologies for their misconduct," she said, adding she had initiated a formal inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, the LCWU Students Council members have demanded that the chief minister direct curtailment of male staff in the university as well as disband the association which had been formed after the departure of former VC Prof Dr Bushra Mateen. None of the clerks attended his cell phone when this reporter tried to contact them for version. The Urdu Science Board (USB) is organising a writers` conference on the International Book Day on April 23 (Saturday). Known writers have been invited for their keynote addresses. The board`s ex-director generals` meeting last week decided that the board would offer awards to the best science writers. The meeting attended by Amjad Islam Amjad, Khalid Iqbal Yasir, Afzal Haider, present DG Dr Abdul Ghafoor Rashid and other officials also discussed other events to celebrate the golden jubilee of the USB this year. Dr Rashid said science quiz and speech contests among students and a national book fair would be arranged on the occasion. The Idara-i-Taleem-o-Aagahi and the Pakistan Coalition for Education are jointly organising a poster competition based on the theme of "Women and Girls` Education: It`s a Right! Make it Right! Education for Women and Girls now!" This advocacy initiative is being organised as part of Global Action Week running through May 2-8. The organisers have invited poster entries from students studying in schools, colleges and other institutions by April 25. The participants (no age limit) can use any provincial or national language for messages on posters. The organisers have decided that the top three winners will be given cash prizes of Rs15,000, Rs7,500 and Rs5,000. POSTER EXHIBITION: The two-day poster exhibition on the theme of `environment` has received good response from students and art lovers at the Government College University, Lahore. Students from 20 colleges and universities have put on display 117 posters at the GCU`s Abdus Salam Hall on subjects like "Can man be a saviour", "Natural Resourses", "Allah created for you all that is in the earth", "Adverse effects of nuclear radiations" and "How to save the earth". Professor Emeritus Dr Khalid Hameed Sheikh was the chief guest at the exhibition organised by the GCU Biological Society in collaboration with the WWF-Pakistan. — mansoormalik173@hotmail.com