Court directs PTA to block VC’s controversial videos on social media

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday directed Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block the videos of Vice-Chancellor University of Science and Technology Bannu that had gone viral on the social media.The directions were issued by a two-member bench comprising Justice Nasir Mehfooz and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah in a writ petition. It was filed by Prof Dr Syed Abid Ali Shah, Vice-Chancellor University of Science and Technology Bannu, against the chancellor/governor notification.The chancellor had sent the vice-chancellor on forced leave for 90 days after his dance video went viral on the social and electronic media.During arguments, Mian Muhibullah Kakakhel and Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel, counsel for the petitioner, argued that the chancellor had exceeded his powers by sending the vice-chancellor on forced leave and initiating an inquiry on his own, which, they argued, was the domain of the senate.The counsels submitted that 10 days were given to the inquiry officers nominated by the chancellor. However, the committee failed to complete the probe as they claimed, there was no proof against the petitioner.They argued that the petitioner was not called by the chancellor to give him an opportunity of being heard and also in the inquiry proceedings.The lawyers contended a false, edited and manufactured video was being circulated by the people involved in defaming the petitioner and to take revenge for not appointing them to the key posts in the university.The court directed the PTA to delete and block the videos/ pictures uploaded against the petitioner. The bench directed the respondents to explain if there was any proof of allegations against the petitioner, why the inquiry proceedings had not been completed within 10 days.

from The News International - Peshawar https://ift.tt/2nuEhpP