Maryam Nawaz is receiving flak on social media after she demanded that action be taken against Vice Chancellor GC University Professor Dr. Syed Asghar Zaidi.
On Monday, Former Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed a gathering of students at Government College University Lahore. A massive number of students attended the orientation event of ‘Taleem and Hunar Saath Saath’ organized by the Punjab Information Technology Board in collaboration with GCU Lahore. The program is about starting a new drive in which the academic curriculum would align to enhance the skills of the students. Punjab Minister on Information Technology Dr. Arslan Khalid said, “IT industry & Academia have joined hands with the Punjab Govt to equip our students with digital skills that are in demand now or will be in the near future.”
Why don't you or Shehbaz Sharif go and visit GCU or any university yourself and make whatever speech you want? Political leaders go to universities everywhere in the world. If you ppl can't face youth, it's not our fault
— Dr Arslan Khalid (@arslankhalid_m) September 26, 2022
Universities are the places from where the next political leaders emerge but ofcourse you wouldn’t understand that since it’s a family thing for you. Afsoos ho raha ho ga ke ye idea apko kyun nahi aya pehle 😏
— Asma Ali Zain (@asmaalizain) September 26, 2022
Ahem https://t.co/wsT2kP8Q23 pic.twitter.com/FFRzoBFaAZ
— Momina Basit (@MominaBasit1) September 26, 2022
حسن رضا دنیا نیوز کا ہونہار غیر جانبدارتحقیقاتی صحافی حسن آج عمران خان کی آمد کے موقع پر گورنمنٹ کالج یونیورسٹی لاہور میں موجود تھے اس گیم چینجر ایونٹ کی حسن رضا نے بہت عمدہ عکاسی کی اور اس اجتماع کی قومی سیاست میں اہمیت سمجھائی https://t.co/28F0fWADmn
— Kamran Khan (@AajKamranKhan) September 26, 2022
Former PM Imran Khan was the Chief Guest at the event. Imran Khan, in his speech, took hard-hitting jibes at his political opponents. Videos circulating on social media show a massive number of students attended the event.
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On this occasion, Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter and demanded strict action against the VC GCU Lahore.
In her tweet, she said, “Strict action must be taken against Vice Chancellor Government College Uni for desecrating an educational institution by lending it to a Fitna & organizing his jalsa on the premises. Using a seat of learning for political hate-mongering is a crime that should not go unpunished.”
Soon, a trend began purportedly by PMLN against GCU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Asghar Zaidi for allegedly allowing Imran Khan allowing to organize his political rally at an educational institute.
Translation:
Lahore has fallen(and there is panic in the ranks) https://t.co/fCyOCUii31
— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) September 26, 2022
More than 50,000 tweets were made under the #RemoveVCofGCU demanding the removal of the GC University Vice-Chancellor. Soon a Twitter trend started expressing solidarity with the GC University Vice Chancellor Prof Asghar Zaidi. #WeStandWithVcGCU has been trending on Twitter and has garnered nearly 109k tweets since Monday.
The PTI supporters reposted videos of how PMLN leaders organized political rallies at various educational institutes in the past. Maryam Nawaz received flak on social media for targeting academicians.
جی سی میں ہوئی تقریب دراصل ’’پی آٹی ٹی بی‘‘ کا ایونٹ تھا، جس میں مہمان خصوصی سابق وزیر اعظم عمران خان تھے، ’’تعلیم اور ہنر ساتھ ساتھ‘‘ پروگرام اس سے پہلے پنجاب یونیورسٹی اور بی زیڈ یو ملتان میں منعقد ہو چکے، جہاں حماد اظہر اور شاہ محمود مہمان تھے۔
بظاہر اعتراض نا قابل فہم ہے۔— Ajmal Jami (@ajmaljami) September 26, 2022
Vice chancellor of GCU @zaidia or any other vice chancellor of any other university is not a head clerk or secretary of the Govt -/ we must respect his descion regarding the invitation of guests -/ intellectual freedom assured growth of knowledge and #GCUlahore is our pride
— Kamran Shahid (@FrontlineKamran) September 27, 2022
I am thankful to my students @gcuniversitylhr and all those who stand proud in backing me! https://t.co/gbPjRFD6mn
— Asghar Zaidi (@zaidia) September 26, 2022
Prof Asghar Zaidi also released a statement in response to the social media upheaval. The statement read that the event was organized in collaboration with PITB; several universities across Punjab have already hosted such events.
The statement added that political leaders across the world visit universities to address youth GCU also does not discriminate against political leaders based on whether they are in the government or not. In his Twitter statement, he expressed gratitude to people for showing solidarity with him. “I am thankful to my students @gcuniversitylhr and all those who stand proud in backing me!,” said Prof Asghar Zaidi in a tweet.