Avicenna Medical College Unveils Facts Behind ‘staged Protest’

The administration of the college says that the student who was expelled at the later stage was allegedly involved in gathering the students for protests following death of a student

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-May 13rd, 2024) In reaction to the protest allegedly staged by a student who was expelled over charges of violating discipline, Avicenna Medical College issued a statement and unveiled more facts about its standard and quality of education as well as learning environment.

The college also unveiled the facts about what it said “the staged protests” which tarnished its image and repute.

The reaction came after the student protests against what they said “strict discipline” which caused mental stress. The students had claimed that five deaths had taken place within the last couple of years.

Chairperson Dr Shandana Sheikh shared the history and background of the student [name withheld] who was accused of staging the protest.

The committee learned that the student in question was a football player and was the Class Representative of Class of M22 right after admission. He was performing well and managing the class affairs. He went through an accident and broke his leg, due to which he had to let go of his favorite sport. The accident led him towards fear of failure and depression.

It was reported that a meeting of the discipline committee of the college was convened on February 28 after an inter-office notification from the Avicenna Medical College principal on February 24 to hold an inquiry into the circumstances in which the student of MBBS first year was reported for harassment of junior female students and previous three disciplinary cases in the inter office.

The committee said that the student returned after a recovery period of two months and started performing well academically. He was also under psychiatric treatment. He again started improving academically but then was found involved in four of the above-discussed disciplinary and harassment cases.

The chairman of the Discipline Committee, Prof Dr Khalid Mehmood, informed the committee that the student was earlier enrolled at Liaqat Medical University, Karachi, and had been expelled from the university on disciplinary grounds.

The committee perused all incidents, statements, and responses from the student. It claimed that he was fined in December 2023, and his referral to the 1st Professional Annual Examination 2023 was withheld due to his poor attendance and performance. He was now due to appear in the supplementary examination. Prof Dr MN Tabassum and Prof Dr Aneela Zareen added that the student, having psychiatric, behavioral, anxiety issues, and an impulsive disorder, might become a threat to his colleagues and patients in the future.

The Discipline Committee, after exhaustive discussion and perusal of all above evidence, decided that the parents of the student be informed of the proceedings of the harassment and Discipline Committee and be recommended to resume his psychiatric treatment with care. The student was also terminated from the college with immediate effect.

College students they had issues with strict fines and other punishment, but at the end of the day, there were forced to attend classes, and lab work and become a professional healthcare professional.

The college while relying on the interviews with students of Avicenna Medical College also unveiled that the student in question had gathered a few students of the college on the road and tried to link a student’s death to the college’s strict study and discipline regime.

The college administration said that itwas subsequently absolved of charges by a University of Health Sciences body, it added.

“Any fine which keeps us into studies is not a fine, but a stick which prevents us from going astray,” said a student.