Youth stages musical protest to express solidarity with late student Musa Khan
PESHAWAR (APP): The youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa here Monday staged a unique musical protest to express solidarity with Muhammad Musa Khan, a 6th semester student of University of Malakand who was ousted from university hostel late night for bringing rabab to the varsity where faced a tragic accident and lost his life.
The protest was organized under the patronage of Pakistan Development Foundation (PDF) and Forum for Inquiry, Knowledge and Review (FIKR), headed by its chairman, Muhammad Bilal Sethi, a renowned social activists, Yousaf Anwar, Edward College’s professor, Gulzar Jalal, Civil Society Representatives including Kaneez Fatima Sethi, Advocate Haider Jan, Salman Omar, Fareedoon Khan, Haris Kamal, Advocate Arbab Ifrahim, Shaheer Chagharmatti and others.
Protestors displayed placards and banners in favour of Musa Khan. Bilal Sethi while addressing the protesters said the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have gathered to voice their demands to the government following the tragic death of Musa Khan, an artist and student expelled from University of Malakand for playing rabab on campus.
They demanded that all individuals involved in this heinous crime be brought to justice and receive severe punishment besides permanent expulsion of the Provost of Malakand University, the hostel warden, and the Chief Proctor and must be barred from holding any government job in future.
“We demand that dynamic leaders ships be appointed as Vice Chancellors in universities who have a genuine love for literature and art and who foster leadership in students. Currently, many vice chancellors and administrators of universities lack these essential qualities.”
They further demanded that students be allowed to organize cultural events without interference from external organizations and every student should have the freedom to express themselves and that the government implement policies that protect and encourage artistic expression on all university campuses while universities provide accessible psychological support services to help students cope with stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
A transparent and impartial investigation into the circumstances leading to Musa Khan’s expulsion and subsequent death be launched and universities ensure a safe and inclusive environment where all students can express their talents without fear of reprisal besides regularly host cultural events that celebrate and promote various forms of art, music, and literature.
The students have representation in university decision-making bodies to ensure their voices are heard and their concerns addressed besides establishment of student affair departments in all institutions to address and resolve student issues and concerns on campus. These departments will ensure that student needs are met and problems are effectively managed.
The speakers said that we want peaceful coexistence of youth in our province and demanded that they should not be harassed and that nobody should impose their ideologies on them.
They said their choice and opinions should be respected and the government should ensure that no such happenings occur in future again.
They urged the government to take immediate action on these demands to honor the memory of Musa Khan and ensure that no other student suffers a similar fate in future.