kidnapped vice-chancellor of Islamia College Peshawar

Islamia College Peshawar VC kidnapped

‘Militants’ kidnap another VC
Peshawar, Sept 08: The vice-chancellor of Islamia College Peshawar (Chartered University), Ajmal Khan, was kidnapped by suspected militants when he left his residence here at Professors Colony for his office on Tuesday, sources said.
The kidnapped vice-chancellor is a close relative of Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan and Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti.
He served University of Peshawar as provost and later as registrar. He also remained vice-chancellor of Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan. He was appointed its first vice chancellor when the historical Islamia College was upgraded to the status of university in 2008.
A source in University of Peshawar said that Mr Khan was going to his office in his official vehicle bearing registration number A-9450 when six bearded men armed with Kalashnikovs stopped him and bundled him into another vehicle. His official vehicle and driver, Mohibullah, were also taken away.
The station house officer concerned, Waqar Khan said that a suspect identified as Yousuf, a resident of Khairabad area, riding a white colour Corolla motorcar bearing registration number LOR-831 was arrested at Karkhano Market checkpost. The suspect, he said, was in such a hurry that he also met an accident at the checkpost and hit a motorcyclist.
“The suspect has long hairs and his language shows that he is a hardcore criminal. He has given some clues about the gang of kidnappers,” he said. A pistol was also recovered from his possession.
“Our sources believe that Taliban are responsible for the kidnapping,” he said.
An official of Campus police station said that the vice-chancellor had received some threatening letters and he was provided proper security at his office and residence but he had refused to accept police guards at his residence.
The official said that the kidnappers were seen returning through the Regi Road, but it could not be ascertained if they had shifted the vice-chancellor to the nearby Jamrud area of Khyber agency or moved towards Mohmand region. “But there are maximum chances of his shifting to Jamrud,” he said.
Mr Khan became the second vice-chancellor, who was kidnapped by suspected militants. Earlier, the vice-chancellor of Kohat University of Science and Technology, Dr Lutfullah Kakakhel, was kidnapped on Nov 6, 2009, and was later on set free in June last.
Some employees of University of Peshawar pleading anonymity said that the security of Professors Colony, located out of the university, was next to nil. They said that the rest of professors were also not safe in the area. They said that matters relating to security of the colony had also been brought into the notice of authorities concerned but no police guards were deployed there on permanent basis. Dawn