PESHAWAR    -   Recent visit by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and his controversial remarks against political opponents in his speech at Edwardes Col­lege have drawn criticism from various circles.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party provincial pres­ident Aimal Wali Khan, who had announced to visit the college in a tit-for-tat response to Imran Khan, has suspended his visit to the College after a delega­tion of teachers from the college visited his residence in Wali Bagh, Charsadda, on Monday and requested him to re-think his plan of visiting the college un­der current circumstances. The ANP leader had an­nounced his visit and address to Edwardes College on October 4 in response to the language used by Im­ran Khan against him and JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman.

According to an official of the college adminis­tration, neither Imran Khan nor Aimal Wali Khan had been invited to address the students. When asked about how Imran Khan arrived and spoke to the students, he said that it was an academic and educational institution and had no affiliation with any political party. However, he claimed that decision regarding Imran Khan’s speech to the stu­dents was actually made by the higher education minister. He claimed that Imran Khan’s use of bad language in his speech disrupted the atmosphere at Edwardes College and sparked a discussion about utilising educational institutions for politi­cal purposes in social circles and on social media.

He said that some students had also warned the college administration in writing that they would hold a protest demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club if political figures’ visits did not end im­mediately. On Monday, a delegation of teachers and students of the college asked the ANP leader that their delegation should be considered as Pashtun Jirga to the Wali Bagh to suspend his planned visit to the college. The Jirga was led by vice-principal of the Edwardes College Peshawar. Aimal Wali said that Edwardes College was the first missionary educational institution established in British-era in Peshawar and had a great history and contribution, but added: “We want the educational institution must be used for education and positive activities.” Meanwhile, Secretary Higher Education Depart­ment Daud Khan did not comment on the issue and remained silent after reading questions that were delivered on his WhatsApp number.