TIMERGARA/MARDAN: The students and staff members of the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan on Thursday protested the arrest of the varsity`s vice chancellor, Professor Ihsan Ali, in various parts of the province and warned they would agitate if the detainee was not freed.

In Timergara, the students and employees of the university`s local campus staged a rally in front of the local press club.

The students earlier boycotted classes before coming onto the road holding placards and banners and shouting slogans against the government over the arrest.

Addressing the rally, speakers Hamad Khan, Mansoor Ahmad, Aziz Khan, Dr Nowsherawan and Kashif Ahmad declared the arrest of Professor Ihsan Ali a conspiracy against the varsity.

They said a noted educationist and wellknown archaeologist was showed by the NAB as a criminal on the media.

The speakers said due to the hectic efforts of Professor Ihsan, the AWKU was ranked lith in the country and second in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the university had established campuses in Chitral, Buner, Timergara and Shangla.They demanded the immediate release of the vice-chancellor and threatened agitation if demand was not met.

In Mardan, professors and lecturers of Abdul WaliKhan University, including women, staged demonstration against the arrest of Professor Ihsan Ali and demande d his immediate release.

The demonstration was led by Dean of AWKUM Arts department Professor Jehanzib Khalil. The protesters gathered in front of the Mardan Press Club and blocked the busy Shamsi Road for several hours.

Professor Jehanzib Khalil said the arrest of Professor Ihsan Ali and three other educationists was a conspiracy meant to stop the rapid progress of education sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said Professor Ihsan Ali had to his credit the establishment of six universities and several museums in the province and that the government had conferred Sitara-i-Imtiaz on him for his good contribution to the education sector.

He said Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan under the leadership of Professor Ihsan Ali had rapidly progressed in a short span since its establishment in 2009.

He and other speakers warned students and staff of the university would begin agitation across the province if Professor Ihsan Ali was not freed without delay.