Islamabad: DC Asadullah sacked on impeding stage play ‘Burqavaganza’

[Naveed Yaseen]

Shakeel Anjum
The government has sacked Deputy Commissioner Asadullah Faiz on the charges of impeding staging of a play at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on June 11 by misusing his official powers and appointed Amir Ali Ahmed again in his place.

The Establishment Division issued a notification with regard to the removal of the deputy commissioner late Thursday night on the direction of the prime minister.

The sacked deputy commissioner, Asadullah Faiz, when contacted by ‘The News,’ claimed that the reason behind his removal was not the PNCA incident. “It is a routine posting,” he said. Avoiding responding clearly to any question, he said that it was the PNCA’s internal controversy that led to the inquiry. He did not reply when asked why three magistrates entered the PNCA and pressurised its officials to stop the show. He instead advised this scribe to raise this question with PNCA authorities.

The episode, which resulted in the removal of the district administration chief, started when people gathered at the PNCA auditorium for watching a drama titled ‘Burqavaganza’ staged by the Ajoka Theatre.

The PNCA authorities, when contacted by this correspondent, said it was noticed that some people in total disregard of rules and unmindful of inconvenience to others had brought little children in the hall. Madeeha Gauhar, in her introductory address about the play, requested that all small children must be taken out. A woman in the third row had an entire line of children sitting with her. When Madeeha Gauhar asked her to take all kids outside, the woman replied that she was the wife of the deputy commissioner. However Madeeha Gauhar insisted even more vehemently. At this, voices were raised and the woman stormed out but not before threatening to have the play stopped.

At the end of the play, some people among the audience were approached by a government official asking them about the details of the ‘incident’.

During the argument between Madeeha Gauhar and Asadullah Faiz, the producer of the drama walked up to them and informed that the sound room was stormed by three magistrates who were ordering to stop the play immediately.

Later, the deputy commissioner and his staff surrounded the premises as if it was under siege. The deputy commissioner was quoted as saying that this was an affront to his status and he was not going to tolerate it.

The PNCA administration was informed that the officials feared a ‘bomb threat’ on the premises.

Later, the drama organisers lodged a formal complaint with the federal minister for interior and police chief about the behaviour of the deputy commissioner, saying that he had made a false statement and should be arrested.

Taking action on the complaint, the interior minister ordered an inquiry. He asked the inspector general of police to hold a thorough probe into reasons behind creating panic among the drama audience but the inquiry was stopped due to unknown reasons. However the prime minister ordered removal of the deputy commissioner with immediate effect, sources in the Establishment Division said.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=184063