Education-related controversies catch on like wildfires, and COMSATS Islamabad is the most recent college to become embroiled in a major dispute. When an inquiry letter and a quiz from a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering program’s English Composition paper went viral, the university came under fire. The question encouraged incest and was not in any way compliant with Islamic Republic of Pakistan policy.
A “highly objectionable” and “immoral” question left the students baffled and social media fuming, following which the institute has terminated the services of the faculty member.
According to the details, the students were asked to write a 300-word essay on the objectionable question in their English exam in December last year.
The paragraph titled ‘The Julie and Mark Scenario’ explained the bizarre situation. “Julie and Mark, who are siblings decide that it would be interesting and fun if they tried making love. At the very least, it would be a new experience for each of them. Julie was already taking birth control pills, and Mark uses a condom,” the section of the Quiz reads, asking students to share views on the sexual intercourse between the siblings.
Following an uproar among the students, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) had directed the university to hold an inquiry into the matter and apprise the government about the action taken in this regard.
Ministry of Science and Technology has also taken a notice of the controversial quiz, directing the university administration to hold inquiry into the matter and punish the “unscrupulous officials”.
“The content of the quiz is highly objectionable and totally against the curriculum laws of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and caused unrest amongst the families of the students,” read a letter issued by the ministry.
اسلام آباد #COMSATS یونیورسٹی کے معاملے پر @SenatePakistan انتظامیہ سے واقعہ میں ملوث عناصر کے بارے میں پوچھا جائے کہ ان عناصر کا تقرر کس نے کیا تھا۔ ایسے واقعات کا تدارک کیا جائے تا کہ آئندہ ایسے واقعات رونماء نہ ہوں۔
سینیٹ آف پاکستان میں کامسیٹس واقعہ پر اظہار خیال pic.twitter.com/m1gF38hIQf— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan (@SenatorMushtaq) February 20, 2023
People belonging to all walks of life including politicians, journalists, celebrities and others demanded strict action against the professor for attempting to promote obscenity in the society.
Moreover, an application has been submitted to the Shehzad Town police station in the federal capital, seeking registration of case against COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) lecturer over an objectionable quiz.
The complainer, Muhammad Altaf, stated in his application that the lecturer had asked an obscene question which is contrary to Islamic teachings and social values in the English exam paper.
According to the application, the complainer is a resident of Islamabad’s Chak Shahzad area and also chairman of lawyers’ wing of Pakistan ideological party.
Meanwhile, netizens also expressed anger on the controversial quiz, and many asked the government to take strict action against those responsible. Taking the issue to the upper house of parliament, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed demanded the government to probe the matter and ask the university who appointed the lecturer. Separately, JUI-F leader Maulana Ghafoor Haideri also condemned it, saying certain elements are playing with the future of students in the name of English education.
