A day after Islamabad High Court's directives, President Arif Alvi has instructed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to take immediate measures to ensure an end to the harassment and racial profiling of Baloch students.
Earlier this month, President Arif Alvi met with Baloch students to hear their grievances at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, where Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Muhammad Ali, Additional Interior Secretary Muhammad Ayub Chaudhary and advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir were also present.
According to a press release issued today, the president stated that resurgence of terrorist activities in Pakistan is a cause for concern, adding that counter-terrorism efforts are essential to the peace and harmony of the country. But "they must be carried out with utmost care so as to not alienate or profile any one segment of our population, particularly the Baloch students".
He acknowledged that it was imperative that all educational institutes should ensure resolution of this issue, as there is a "general sense of deprivation or isolation" when it comes to Baloch students.
Alvi said activities and programs that encouraged debate and participation were of utmost important, and also asked QAU VC to "diligently monitor any activity which may be a cause of concern to the Baloch students."
Earlier, the president had met with Baloch students represented by Imaan Mazari, who were protesting the disappearance of their colleague, Hafiz Baloch, who was also an M.Phil student at QAU.
This protest prompted the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to appoint Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani head of a committee to attend to the protesting Baloch students. On April 8, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah sought a report from the president on the grievances of Baloch students.
In the latest hearing on Thursday, Chief Justice Athar Minallah had ordered the authorities to stop harassing and racially profiling Baloch students.
Earlier this month, President Arif Alvi met with Baloch students to hear their grievances at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, where Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Muhammad Ali, Additional Interior Secretary Muhammad Ayub Chaudhary and advocate Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir were also present.
According to a press release issued today, the president stated that resurgence of terrorist activities in Pakistan is a cause for concern, adding that counter-terrorism efforts are essential to the peace and harmony of the country. But "they must be carried out with utmost care so as to not alienate or profile any one segment of our population, particularly the Baloch students".
He acknowledged that it was imperative that all educational institutes should ensure resolution of this issue, as there is a "general sense of deprivation or isolation" when it comes to Baloch students.
Alvi said activities and programs that encouraged debate and participation were of utmost important, and also asked QAU VC to "diligently monitor any activity which may be a cause of concern to the Baloch students."
Earlier, the president had met with Baloch students represented by Imaan Mazari, who were protesting the disappearance of their colleague, Hafiz Baloch, who was also an M.Phil student at QAU.
This protest prompted the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to appoint Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani head of a committee to attend to the protesting Baloch students. On April 8, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah sought a report from the president on the grievances of Baloch students.
In the latest hearing on Thursday, Chief Justice Athar Minallah had ordered the authorities to stop harassing and racially profiling Baloch students.