Dean of KU Islamic Studies department shot dead

[Patriots]

KARACHI: Dean of Islamic Studies Faculty at the University of Karachi Dr Shakeel Auj was shot dead by unknown assailants on Thursday.

His vehicle was fired at following which he was taken to the Aga Khan University Hospital where an official said Dr Auj was dead on arrival and that his family members were present at the hospital.

Dr Auj was shot three times in the neck and chest. He was heading to attend an event by Iranian consulate with a fellow professor Tahir Maqsood. His body has been taken to Jinnah Hospital for autopsy.

The incident took place in Karachi's Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town near the Baitul Mukarram mosque and police and Rangers personnel reached the site soon after.

Taking notice of the incident, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has ordered Inspector General of Sindh Police Ghulam Hyder Jamali to submit a report on the incident.

Dr Mohammad Shakeel Auj was an author, a professor and dean at Karachi University’s faculty of Islamic Studies. He also used to edit Al-Tafseer — an HEC-recognised research journal on Islamic Studies.

He has been associated with KU for 19 years and had been heading the Islamic Studies department since February 1, 2012. According to the university's website, Dr Auj has written 15 books.

Dean of KU Islamic Studies department shot dead - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّآ اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ​

https://twitter.com/x/status/512483630959312896

 

[CENTCOM]

One of the hallmarks of the terrorists is to attack intellectuals who form the backbone of any nation. Killing of Dr. Auj, the Dean of Islamic Studies, University of Karachi is just an act of cowards; condemnable by any sane member of the society. Teachers and college professors nurture future generations who build nations. By killing them the terrorist know they can weaken the state.

Terrorists worldwide have been put on notice. Time is not far when the terrorists who are operating so freely in cities like Karachi will be focused and targeted. We stand united against any terrorist organization and groups and truly believe that their time is limited.


Abdul Quddus
DET - U.S. Central Command
www.facebook.com/centcomurdu

 

[Green Arrow]

Really a sad news. We lost another intellectual mind.

 

[VCheng]

Really a sad news. We lost another intellectual mind.

Intellectuals? We don't need no stinkin' intellectuals!

(to paraphrase the novel and movie The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, no disrespect intended)

 

[Leader]

so fatwaah was given to taken him down by some mad-rissah in Karachi cause he committed blasphemy...

how hard is it to find the culprits or bad the mad-rissah?

but this too, like other dozens of daily murders, will be forgotten..

shame on civil society, shame on all of us.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Don't understand the logic , of this act , really Dean, university member what has he got to do with politics or influence

 

[VCheng]

Look at where the investigation is heading and consider the implications:

Colleagues interrogated over KU dean’s murder - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

KARACHI: Police on Friday interrogated University of Karachi faculty in connection with the murder of a professor of Islam known for his liberal views who had been labeled a “blasphemer” in a text message campaign.

Dr Mohammad Shakil Auj, the 54-year-old dean of Islamic Studies at the university, was called an apostate in the widely-circulated message that said he should be beheaded after he issued controversial religious decrees.

They included allowing a Muslim woman to marry out of her faith and to pray while wearing lipstick and nail polish.

He was shot dead while driving to an Iranian cultural centre where he was invited as a guest of honour on Thursday, while a junior colleague travelling with him received a bullet wound to her arm.

Also read: KU teachers announce indefinite boycott of academic activities

Auj, a recipient of a presidential medal of distinction, had been fighting a case against the originators of the text message campaign which began two years ago.

“We are currently interrogating at least three professors, who were the former colleagues of Dr Auj and were blamed for the SMS controversy,” Pir Mohammad Shah, a senior police officer in charge of the case told AFP.

The suspects were named as Abdul Rasheed – the department's previous dean, along with Auj's colleagues Naseer Ahmed Akhtar and Ubaid Ahmed Khan. Another suspect named Mohammad Samiuz Zaman was a secretary at the nearby NED Engineering University.

“They all were involved in the SMS controversy for which the late Dr Auj had registered the case two years back fearing risks to his life,” Shah said.

The SMS read: “The blasphemer of the Prophet and Quran, Dr Shakil, curses be upon him, deserves only one punishment – beheading.”

At the time he opened the case in 2012, the late professor told police: “It has endangered my life and on the basis of the propaganda I could be murdered.”

Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive subject in Pakistan, where the majority of the 180 million population are devoutly Muslim. Even unproven allegations can provoke a violent public response.

A recent report from a US government advisory panel said Pakistan used blasphemy laws more than any other country in the world. It listed 14 people on death row and 19 others serving life sentences under the law.

 

[FaujHistorian]

sad


Islamism, Taliban KIhan, TuQ, TTP they all have broken down our police and justice system.

Even our governors are not safe.


So sad to see one of our finest academic murdered in the name of Islamism.


So sad.

May Allah bless his soul.

 

[dexter]

I was there when he got shot but we thought it was "hawai frirng"
People like these are born in decades
May ALLAH give him highest reward in JANNAH!

 

[EternalJives]

RIP. Religious intolerance is a two edged sword.

 

[Hyperion]

I mean what the fvck. Blame PTI and TuQ for this. You my friend are biassed at the very core!

Taliban KIhan, TuQ, TTP they all have broken down our police and justice system.

 

[FaujHistorian]

I mean what the fvck. Blame PTI and TuQ for this. You my friend are biassed at the very core!

MQMer say the same thing. And so do PMLNers.

Creating dharnas, instability, support for Taliban feeds into Islamist ideology. Please review our history.

Thank you

 

[pak-marine]

so fatwaah was given to taken him down by some mad-rissah in Karachi cause he committed blasphemy...

how hard is it to find the culprits or bad the mad-rissah?

but this too, like other dozens of daily murders, will be forgotten..

shame on civil society, shame on all of us.

No madersa it was his fellow teachers who ran an SMS campaign against him .. Most likely work of JI hit men

 

[Cheetah786]

Another infidel down. Time to celebrate let's bring out the champagne. Pakistan better of without these professors,doctors,scientist and engineers.

 

[Leader]

No madersa it was his fellow teachers who ran an SMS campaign against him .. Most likely work of JI hit men

so how hard is to book that SOB? also I hear that some mad-rissah gave fatwah against him for blasphemy ?

either way, when will we get justice for this loss?