In a totally unprecedented move, hundreds of students of the Government College University (GCU), gathered outside the university campus last month and raised slogans against the administration for following 'fascist' policies. These students, whose names had been struck off from the college rolls on charges of absenteeism, blocked the main entrance of the university for hours. They termed the administration's policies coercive and vowed to resist them at all costs.

In a totally unprecedented move, hundreds of students of the Government College University (GCU), gathered outside the university campus last month and raised slogans against the administration for following 'fascist' policies. These students, whose names had been struck off from the college rolls on charges of absenteeism, blocked the main entrance of the university for hours. They termed the administration's policies coercive and vowed to resist them at all costs.

The protest may appear to be quite an ordinary event to an outsider but the fact that it was carried out by GCU students made it big news. Hardly any of the students of this university had been involved in activism of any sort in the past couple of years. They were not in sight even when the students of elitist academic institutions like LUMS were on roads to support the independence of judiciary in Pakistan.

The events that followed the protest led to unfolding of many facts related to GCU that had remained hidden for so long. The students would have remained mum had not the university administration got registered criminal and terrorism cases against some of them.

Two students Usman Latif and Haroon Mahmood were arrested the same night by New Anarkali police and presented in an anti-terrorism court (ATC) the next day. The students were sent to jail but later on released and the university administration was asked to readmit the expelled students. These students claim they were arrested for holding a protest outside the Lahore Press Club (LPC) in September against the 'strange' marking policy adopted by the university.

The situation right now is that the government of Punjab has acknowledged that there is something wrong at the GCU and policies need to be reviewed. It has formed a committee, headed by Punjab Higher Education additional secretary to look into GCU's semester rules, leave policy, grading system and other contentious issues.

Usman Latif, one of the students arrested under anti-terrorism laws, tells TNS that the students were holding peaceful protest outside the university and had all the right in the world to do that. "What else did the university administration expect? You strike off names of 600 students in one go and want them to remain silent," he adds. He says the criminal cases were framed against them just to send a warning to GCU students daring to raise their voice against injustice.

Usman says no doubt there was resentment against the very decision but it was the pent up frustration among students that came out that day. He tells TNS that the rules are so strict at the university that one seems to be living in a concentration camp rather than studying in an academic institution.

About the leave policy, he says, the students cannot get any exemption even if they have genuine reasons to give. He cites a university official, without disclosing his name, who often says that the GCU students must pray that their mother or father must not die when the session is in progress. If that happens and they remain absent they will have to experience two tragedies -- expulsion from the university and loss of a dear-one, he adds.

Citing the leave policy also available at GCU website, he says it clearly states that "while counting lectures no exemption will be granted to any student who remains absent from the class due to illness or any other reason."

Usman says the re-admission fee fixed by the university for students remaining absent from classes of a subject for three days or more in a month, continuously or otherwise, is Rs 1,000. Re-admission can be allowed only once and if the re-admitted student's name is dropped from the university rolls again, he will not be eligible for a second re-admission, he adds.

GCU registrar Sahibzada Faisal Khursheed tells TNS that most of the allegations levelled against the university administration are wrong. In fact, there is no problem inside the four walls of the university and only outsiders and vested interests are bent upon harming the institution. He refuses to accept that any of the students was expelled from the college or any parent had approached him for a re-admission.

About the leave policy, he says it has been devised as per international standards and aims at ensuring students' attendance in classes. Faisal tells TNS that there are provisions for leaves but only in emergency situations. He also disassociates himself from the FIR registered against the students by saying that it neither has his signatures nor thumb impression on it.

Usman disagrees with the registrar's claim and says although the signatures are not there the FIR clearly mentions that it was registered on the basis of information received from him (the registrar). How can he disassociate himself from the whole affair when he is appearing in the court as the main complainant, he questions.

Saeeda Diep, an activist based in Lahore, tells TNS that she has distributed a petition against the high-handedness of GCU administration online and asked the provincial and federal education ministries and the HEC to look into the matter. She says the denial of right to hold peaceful protest for rights is something worth condemning.

Diep says the tenure of the vice-chancellor of any university in Pakistan should be limited to three years, with the possibility of a maximum extension of two years. Her point is that endless tenures inculcate a sense of possession among heads of institutions and a feeling that whatever they are doing is correct.

The sitting GCU VC, Dr Khalid Aftab, is incharge of the institution since 1993. From 1993 to 2002 he was the Principal of Government College (GC), Lahore and from 2002 onwards Vice Chancellor of GCU.

A GCU student tells TNS on condition of anonymity that the need to protest arose for the reason that the VC, registrar, discipline committee members or students' affairs head have no time to listen to students' complaints. Even if someone succeeds in registering his complaint the decision always comes against the complainant, he says. Unfortunately, there is no neutral forum available to the students for redressal of their problems, he adds.

The GCU registrar refutes this claim saying that his office as well as that of the VC are open for all. He says there are several forums available at GCU for resolution of students' issues but what can one do when students are not willing to use them.

Usman tells TNS that fines are imposed for acts like climbing the stairs meant for descent only, wearing of college card with photo upside down and what not. He says there is a strange relative marking system adopted by the university in which a student getting even 90 per cent marks can fail. What they do is that they calculate an average on the basis of a few top students and weigh others in comparison to that. Usman's point is that the policies of GCU are much more strict, rather cruel, when compared to the guidelines issued by the HEC for universities.

Faisal, however, disagrees with this assertion and says that the university's academic policies have been formed after thorough study of best international systems. "When you want to give education of that quality you have to keep your standards high," he adds.

Last week an uncle of my mine left for Canada -- never to come back. What I mean is, he immigrated with his family. When asked as to what made him take such a decision, his answer was the same old monotonous something revolving around lack of security, opportunities and stability in Pakistan. *yawns* I refused to register these as valid reasons. These are but excuses.

This is just one family you may think. Nevertheless, in this one family, the country lost two established civil engineers and a budding lawyer. What else, recent news items have been reporting an increasing number of Pakistanis especially from the Frontier, immigrating to other countries in search of greener pastures. Now that's a colossal loss.

This brain drain has been going on for years. There is constant ranting about the abysmal rate of literacy in Pakistan. Well, hello! Somebody needs to wake up to the reality that if the educated lot will continue to leave the country, how is the literacy rate ever going to rise. Besides, it's the educated professional class that can bring change to a country with its innovative and revolutionary thinking. It is their overwhelming presence only that can help to eliminate the deeply entrenched feudalistic thinking and help create at least a sense of equality among the masses. Only their presence can allow that must-wanted change in our leadership: we desperately need to get rid of those elitists who gloat in the oppression of the poor and the downtrodden.

So this set of people need to understand that they've got to stop blaming Pakistan for all its ills. Look you are contributing to it as much. Always remember that the force behind the French Revolution was none but the bourgeoisie. So your presence or absence is of vital importance to this nation.

You may argue, and to that, quite convincingly that the country has not given you enough reasons to be wanting to stay on. But running away isn't the solution. If there is a problem, it should be faced and a solution found. Turning our backs to it and fleeing isn't the only option available, believe me. It is the cowards and the idiots who run away.

You complain because you say this country is lacking in certain things, that the system is flawed and so on. Then change it! For once, just leave everything you are doing, stop, and look around. Think. Are things really what you say they are. Look at those beautiful mountains, those endless roads that have made "you go places," those buildings soaring towards the sky. You do what you like to, you say what you want to, there are no restrictions. Is this your definition of a failed state? Then why do you shun it? Doesn't that success and freedom make your heart swell with pride? It has bore you all these years, don't you trust it to carry you a few more years. Here you have an identity, a pehchan. Can that other more luxuriant and promising country bestow you with this luxury, this promise.

In the end, all that I'd like to say is that it is high time that we started thinking about this. This country has suffered for too long and so have we. So it is just a simple request to those especially who are planning on moving overseas: just give it a little thought. You will always be 'over-the-seas', in intermediary space, not in this land and not in that land. You will be there but you won't belong there.

• LFLC Reading Group Meeting: The next meeting for LFLC reading group is scheduled for Saturday, 15 Nov at South Asian Media Centre at 4pm.

The book under focus is "The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga available (so far) at Readings, Main Boulevard, Lahore. It is Adiga's debut novel for which he won the Man Booker Prize 2008. Join for a discussion at South Asian Media Centre, 177-A Shadman II, Lahore. Ph: 755 5621-28

• Ustaad Sarah Zaman in concert on Tuesday, Nov 11 at Alhamra Cultural Complex, Gaddafi Stadium at 5:30pm. The programme is being held under the aegis of Lahore Arts Forum (LEAF).

• Dr. Khurshid Rizvi to speak at Model Town Library on Nov 13, Thursday at 5:30pm. The programme is organised by Lahore Arts Forum.

• Surgicon 2008 Biennial International Surgical Conference from Nov 14-16. This conference is organised by Society of Surgeons, Lahore Chapter, Pakistan. Contact Dr. Shahzad Alam Shah, Organising Secretary, 18-Attaturk Block, New Garden Town, Lahore. Email: drshahzad5@hotmail.com

Website: http://ssplahore.org

• Panjabi Sangat is a weekly gathering

every Friday and Sunday

at Najam Hussain Sayed's house at 7pm

where Punjabi classical poetry is readand sung.

Any person who visits the Sangat can

freely and actively participate in

the above mentioned

activities.

Not long ago, when we were in college, Dengue fever was nothing more than a presentation topic. So standing up on the podium in front of my sleepy class-mates, with the slide show on and the not so beautiful Aedes mosquito being the show stopper, the outcome of the presentation was wonderful to say the least. But who knew then, that this little machar would play havoc with Lahorites.

Almost 181 cases of dengue fever have been reported in Punjab out of which 147 cases were detected in Lahore alone. The figures were same in 2006 and 2007 where almost eighty percent of the patients were from Lahore. According to the statistics provided by National Institute of Health, blood samples of 89 patients have been received, of which 39 cases are positive with dengue.

In 2006 and 2007, dengue was believed to have spread to northern areas, apart from Lahore and Islamabad. Dengue occurred in cycles of six months each year since 2006 when the first large scale outbreak was reported in Sindh claiming at least 50 lives and affecting over 4,000 people.

Dengue viruses -- four in number -- have been reported in most tropical areas of the world. It is common in Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Australia. Dengue is most common in cities but can also be found in rural areas, while mountaneous areas are rarely hit by dengue. "Having its origin in the Egyptian mumies, the dengue virus is more like an endemic which is constantly present in any locality, rather than an epidemic," says Shamaila Nadeem, a zoologist.

Shumaila says the black and white striped Aedes mosquito which transmits dengue in humans is a household mosquito. It lives amongst humans and breeds in discarded areas such as flowerpots, water containers, car tyres, oil drums and water. Unlike other mosquitoes, Aedes doesn't breed on stagnant water but is found on fresh and clean water.

Dr Saba Tahir, Registrar Fatima Memorial Hospital, says, "it is ironic that a dangerous disease like this has no treatment as such. The major symptoms are the onset of severe headache, muscle and joint pains also called break-bone fever or bone crusher disease. Rash is another symptom, there may also be gastritis with some combination of associated abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea."

Dr Saba believes that anyone with these complaints should immediately take Dengue Fever Test. Dengue virus lasts from five to eight days and can increase within the last two weeks due to the ignorance on the part of the patient. The fever covers its cycle within 4 to 15 days, from the time the mosquito bites. Although the fever is not contagious, the patient's blood can be a source of the virus for a mosquito. There is no treatment for dengue as such but the patients are given supportive treatment and should take more and more fluids and should try to continue with their regular diet.

So what has the government done so far for the awareness of the dengue fever?

District Officer Health, Amjad Jafri says, "the response to dengue is 'more panic than disease'. Dengue was always there but now because of the media it is being rather 'misreported'." Jafri describes the awareness campaigns of the CDGL successful. "Public service messages are being printed in daily papers. Other than that, we have started a door to door campaign involving lady health workers and fumigating the houses," he added.

"The fumigation process is useful no doubt but the indoor residence spray is more important because the Acedes mosquito is a household insect. Fumigation lasts for four hours as compared to the spray which works for three days minimum. I want to request women especially not to wash the slopes at the entrances unneccesarily because the biggest source of mosquitoes is stagnant water. We need to change this mindset of washing the place even if it isn't required."

"I can never thank God enough for getting me out of this life-threatening disease," says a dengue survivor, Maryam Iqbal. "Initially, I had high fever and I was even unable to lift my head. Within an hour or so my temperature rose to 104/105 degrees Centigrade. My husband took me to the hospital immediately because the fever wouldn't come down. A platelet test was taken and the count was low after which dengue was diagnosed. Meanwhile, I got rashes and my mother thought these were measles as I hadn't had them earlier.

"Gradually the rash spread from my palms to the entire body. I was given steroid injections but nothing worked. At that point I thought I would die and I was in such pain more so because my entire family was going through this suffering, especially my husband.

"However, then I shifted to another hospital where I was given antibiotics which stopped the rash and the platelet count increased with my temperature coming to normal. The scars are still there, covering my whole body. The ordeal didn't end here because my husband was the next to catch the virus. I don't have any child as yet but I fear we will have a dengue baby as well (she laughs!)"

This was an account of a young girl from a prosperous family but one feels how someone from the lower strata of society would deal with this ailment -- from high bills of the hospitals down to the expensive tests? Who are they going to ask for help?

"My daughter is a dengue victim and as a father I know how it feels, the fear of losing a child to dengue. I'm unfortunate that my daughter is not getting the best medical care, but I'm helpless. My total salary is even less than Rs10,000 a month. What do you expect me to do I such situation," said Ghulam Nabi.

Nabi further says, "In these times it is hard to even run our homes and the hospital staff hardly care what the poor is suffering from, all they are bothered about is the rich who are paying hefty fees. Hum gharib tu marnay kay liyay he paida huey hain."

Similarly, another dengue survivor Mehwish Multani says, "It took me ten to fifteen days to recover from this grave disease. With time I will recover from the physical pain that I got but what about the psychological suffering that I went through. I was ill-treated at the private hospital, where nothing went towards betterment despite paying heavy fees. None of the tests were accurate and the medical superintendents (MS) would hardly attend to me. In the isolation ward the patient besides me died in front of me within two days. This disturbed me a lot and I got scared. Finally, I shifted to a private clinic for the platelet transfusion because my platelet level dropped due to significant bleeding."

For Mehwish the most annoying thing was attitude of the medical staff. She felt that the government is not doing enough to prevent this disease, she said. "All our chief minister does is suspends the MS, which does no good to the system at large."

Theatre in Lahore, especially private theatre -- mostly offering stage shows in Punjabi, off and on, came under attack on charges of 'vulgarity' and 'obscenity' last week.

There was a recent wave of 'banning' actresses and stage shows, forcing them to be 'moral' in presenting such entertainment and recreation in public and private. Such crackdowns are seen almost every year.

The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has also formed a local level committee in the name of 'censor board' to monitor and check the scripts of such stage shows. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajjad Ahmed Bhutta informed TNS that the recently formed committee comprises of senior actors, public representatives and officials of the CDGL and Home Department.

Such campaigns have started without providing people with a parallel theatre. The uneducated public has developed a culture of this type of entertainment across the Punjab and the private theatres thrive on selling such items, which, they term 'hot' with public.

"Every one calls the commercial theatres vulgar but where should we go for entertainment and recreation. This has become our culture. We like juggats," says Iftikhar Ahmed, a mechanic at a workshop near Lakshmi Chowk, who used to go to Mehfil Theatre. He says the actors sell on public demand. It's upto the government to provide an environment where there are more choices in recreation and entertainment for the people.

More interestingly, some senior Punjab government officials tell TNS, such theatres become 'obscene' when theatres and actresses refuse to accept the alleged demands of some high ups at personal level. "I have seen that such campaigns are just to press the theatre circles," he says while sharing his experience of serving with the Home Department. There is need for choices and parallel theatre to change the taste of ordinary public which flock to commercial theatre.

"There is no crackdown," DCO further says, adding, "There are efforts only to streamline things and the local censor board is supposed to check the scripts for that purpose." He says the CDGL policy is as per Home Department's instructions.

"We are not against the stage shows but against vulgarity and obscenity at public level." On the possibility of a parallel theatre to change the taste of public, he says, "this is all up to the intelligentsia." Private theatre must think on these lines and arts councils also need to play their role in changing such taste. "If we relate it with frustration and lack of education then it happens everywhere in the world. In Pakistan we need to remain under certain limits. This is Islamic Republic of Pakistan."

Dr Tanveer-ul-Islam Punjab Minister for Culture, Sport and Youth, who belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party, has a different point of view. The minister says, "Let people show what they want to show and let them watch what they want to watch. Pakistan Peoples Party believes in freedom of expression. However, it is the moral duty of theatres not to get vulgar," he says, giving a ray of hope.

"I myself have been visiting the theatre and watching the shows and don't see any obscenity in it," he says, adding, "The Punjab Arts Council and Lahore Arts Council are also working for the promotion of good art and culture through different plays."

He says there was no campaign against stage shows to stop so-called 'vulgarity' and 'obscenity.' And if someone gets personal that is bad too. He says he is trying to organise cultural activities and honour artists by nominating them for awards and rewarding them. He categorically says there is no censor policy for stage shows.

The Punjab Information and Culture Secretary calls for efforts to promote parallel theatre and to give choices to people for change in the taste. "Writers seem least interested in such efforts," he says, recalling that their department had been advertising in newspapers, inviting playscripts which the Arts Council offered to stage for free if it found one good but no one responded to this call. "Even the big names in the field of scriptwriting refused to volunteer their services for a good cause."

Punjab Home Secretary Nadeem Hasan Asif is also of the view that private sector should come up with parallel theatre and the government must support them by offering good schemes. He says that media has also an important role to play in it by formulating public opinions for proper recreation and entertainment in theatre.

"There is no ban on stage shows," the Deputy Director Lahore Arts Council (LAC) Zulfiqar Zulfi tells TNS, adding, "The only reason behind a two-three day gap in the plays was to ensure a proper parking system within the LAC at The Mall due to security concerns. "We have also prepared a list of 50 to 60 scripts of around 30 scriptwriters which will be staged in Alhamra."

Even dance is not objectionable as it is popular on weddings. "Reasonable dances are always welcome and people themselves should judge what is vulgar and what is not."

He says the private sector should come up with suggestions and ideas for parallel theatre and Alhamra would welcome them. The district government is also involved in the policy of checking the scripts.

No one seems ready to take the responsibility of giving choices but to go on with what is happening. So, where should Muhammad Rizwan, 23, a labourer in a workshop where he works for more than 12 hours a day, go for recreation except to theatre with his other non-educated labourer friends once in a month -- that remains the question. For him, there is 'obscenity' but no alternative.

The Punjab University spokesman clarifies that a news feature published in this space on Sunday October 19, 2008 under the title "Under the PU carpet" was based on biased and partial reporting.

He clarifies that vacation of four rooms from the illegal occupation of Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) was not "PU administration's exercise" as claimed in the feature. In fact the group had been occupying the four rooms of Hostel No.1 over the last 33 years and during this period no administration dared to get these rooms vacated.

Prior to this, IJT was not allowed to organise the book fair. Instead the Book Fair 2008 was organised by the administration with active participation of students.

IJT was not allowed to establish admission stalls this year; instead all the teaching departments established their own stalls for the guidance of the prospective students.

IJT was not allowed to organise the central welcome party for new students; instead the administration itself organised the welcome party in Faisal Auditorium.

Annual Qirat and Naat competition was also organised by the administration and students instead of IJT.

There have been many more such actions taken by the present administration and the vice chancellor has a vision to establish a true academic and research environment on the PU campus.