Varsity teacher barred from signing attendance

KABUL (Pajhwok): Kunar University teacher Dr. Rahmatullah Zahid says he has been stopped from signing attendance after criticizing government policies. But the Higher Education Ministry official in the east blamed Dr. Zahid for anti-government activities and mocking the current system.

In a n open letter to the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), Dr. Zahid wrote his social media post that included some critical points was presented to Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani in a misleading manner and he was portrayed as anti-government figure.

Without any investigation into his critical remarks, the teacher alleged, he had been stopped signing his attendance at the Syed Jamaluddin University in Asadabad since May 10.

He claimed the Sharia Faculty head, had conveyed him the message and told him that he had no right to seek clarifications or the reason why he was not allowed to sign his attendance.

Dr. Zahid revealed he had been asked to seek an apology for his harsh remarks and ensure that such things did not happen in the future. However, the professor said he had refused to apologise to anyone.

He asked officials of the interim Taliban administration to seek an explanation from the MoHE on the issue.

A Higher Education Ministry official in the eastern zone, Qazi Khalid Sadaqat, wrote about Dr. Zahid case on the Nan Takai Asia website:  “Dr. Zahid has been making some provocative and destructive posts and propaganda against the Islamic Emirate on Facebook. He ridiculed decisions of the government at gatherings inside and outside the university.”

The MoHE representative added Zahid had been critical of the ministry’s actions despite having a job there. According to Sadaqat, he and the chancellor of the university had shared MoHE concerns with Zahid and directed him to avoid spreading propaganda.

Sadaqat went on to spurn the allegations leveled by the teacher as baseless. He suggested such issues must be dealt with by the judiciary. This Pajhwok reporter read dozens of posts on Zahid’s Facebook page last month. Some of the posts seemed to be critical.

Zahid posted: “Here efforts are ongoing to run the entire country as a madrassa (seminary)…The decision on banning girls’ education is not a Sharia-based decision. It is based on a biased attitude.

“It is a decision of those who believe that a woman is confined either to her house or her grave. These gentlemen do not know about Hazrat-i-Ayesha or Umm Salma, who have been quoted by hundreds of scholars,” the professor added.

Zahid complained: “People at the Ministry of Vice and Virtue say their work is confined to making recommendations and offering advice. They don’t use force to get things done. What are these weapons they carry for? Are the arms they tot for fun?”

In another post, Zahid writes: “A non-political question: Do you have any evidence of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) or his companions having gunmen to protect them as they gave sermons or preached even in difficult circumstances?”

The teacher comments: “You will not be asked about the neck-tie or the beard, the turban or hat. But you will be definitely asked about the poor going to bed hungry and have nothing to eat.”

The professor insists: “We live for (upholding) ideas, not for jobs. If our jobs hinder ideas, I will sacrifice a thousand jobs,” he remarked.

Pajhwok also shared the issue with Mohibullah Mohib, director of the university. However, he did not respond. On the other hand, MoHE spokesman Ahmad Taqi, without going into details, said that Qazi Khalid Sadaqat’s explanation on the issue was enough.

nh/sa/mud