SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Learn more.

Date of Incident: June 08, 2016

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances

Institution(s):University Law College Quetta

Region & Country:Southern Asia | Pakistan

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On June 8, 2016, unidentified gunmen killed Amanullah Achakzai, principal of the University Law College Quetta.

Professor Achakzai was driving to the university when an unknown number of assailants travelling by motorbike opened fire on his vehicle. He was pronounced dead before emergency personnel could bring him to Civil Hospital Quetta. As of this report, no group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack, nor have the authorities identified a suspect.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the apparently targeted killing of a scholar. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, such incidents have a chilling effect on academic freedom and freedom of expression in the region. State authorities have a responsibility to ensure the security of academic communities, to prevent future attacks, and to hold perpetrators of violent attacks accountable.

Sources:

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1118769/college-principal-gunned-quetta/

http://nation.com.pk/national/08-Jun-2016/law-college-principal-amanullah-achakzai-shot-dead-in-quetta

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/126248-College-principal-Amanullah-Achakzai-shot-dead-Quetta