I am the teacher of Saddam Baloch, one of the students on the hunger strike. I am seriously concerned about his and Nauroz’s deteriorating health and also about the students’ expulsion issue.
I have sought legal opinions over this matter because the lives of Saddam and Nauroz are in serious danger. Please read this patiently even if it offends you. I need to convey this urgently to help save these young men and for the restoration procedure to begin.
There are chances that the expelled students’ penalties are softened by restoring them, and then converting the expulsion into rustication while keeping the fines intact. This is still a better scenario than total expulsion.
However, I have been told that the VC alone does not have the power to take any such step even if he wants to help the expelled students, because of complex bureaucratic rules of business. Otherwise, the VC might risk arrest or the circumstances may become unmanageable from the university’s side. Even the President issues pardon after a proper procedure, involving bureaucrats and the law minister, not on his own.
The legal way as I have been informed is that the expelled students need to write a letter addressed to the President of Pakistan, through the VC:
1. They must accept their mistake,
2. Apologize collectively to the teachers and administration for any insults and material losses incurred,
3. Promise not to repeat their mistakes,
4. Mention that they belong to remote areas,
5. Request for pardon and the penalties to be reviewed and revised.
This will not guarantee the desired decision but there are positive chances that the expelled students may be restored. The VC may write positive comments on the letter and will then forward it to the President of Pakistan, as he had already assured to help.
Importantly, this restoration process through legal and bureaucratic means will take time because of rules of business. Therefore, the hunger strikers must be informed about this and made to end the strike.
If this does not happen, we may, God forbid, lose Saddam and Nauroz or have them incurred irreparable damage to their young bodies, which they never deserve. The priority now is to save their lives and some egos will have to be sacrificed for this purpose.
Sincerely,
Saddam’s teacher
