The country was shaken by the murder of a professor last week. Professor Khalid Hameed was stabbed to death by a 21-year-old student. Both were part of the Government Sadiq Egerton College in Bahawalpur.
But what, or who, motivated Khateeb Hussain to commit murder? At first it was reported that they argued over a co-ed ‘Welcome Day’. But new reports reveal that Hussain was motivated by TLP. Police have picked up Zafar Gilani, a Layyah-based lawyer and a senior TLP leader.
Gilani’s phone records show that he was in touch with Hussain. Husain has admitted to sharing his desire to murder the professor with TLP’s Gilani. Reports cite that Gilani gave Hussain the go-ahead for the murder. Why does this information change things?
Because it can no longer be assumed that the murder was a crime of passion. If the TLP leader was involved, this murder was pre meditated. Blasphemy related crimes and lynchings are often spur of the moment. But this murder seems pre-planned.
This investigation is vital since if religious leaders can influence one student’s mind, what’s to stop them from altering others’? It is vital that the country takes a moment to pause, grieve and consider, the state of its youth enrolled in higher education.
The need of the hour is not just a check on TLP’s power, but also offer communication and support to our vulnerable youth.
