Letter from my Undergrad School

I am thinking of writing about my undergrad years. Not personal stories, but more tied into education and politics in Pakistan. Instead of first giving the background, I’ll post the translation of a letter that my parents got from the head of our college during my junior year (the letter is dated March 12, 1992). That same letter was mailed to the parents of all male students. I’ll get to the story behind the letter in a later post.

So here’s the translation. I have tried to make the translation as halting and verbose as the original. I don’t think I have succeeded.

Through this letter, I sincerely appeal to the students’ parents that they, alongwith the university administration and faculty, do their best in improving student behavior so that their child can have a better professional career.

Unfortunately, in December 1991, due to some miscreant students, there was a fight between the college and the locals of Gangoo Bahadur, a village near the college. As a result, the students set fire to local property and a government toll booth. A bus and tractor belonging to the college were also severely damaged. Your son was also involved in this incident. After this incident, on December 17, 1991, the civil administration called the police to action in the campus which resulted in some students being arrested. Now those students have been released on bail. After mutual discussion of the civil and college administrations, the college has reopened on January 25, 1992. The college administration has taken serious notice of this incident and has fined each student one hundred Rupees so that students are warned and focus on their studies and are dissuaded from getting involved in dirty politics.

You are reuested that you advise your son that he not take part in such activities in the future and help us in guarding against non-academic and discipline. [I know this sentence does not make sense but this is how it’s written in Urdu. —- Zack]

If your son is involved in such activities in the future, then his name will be struck off the rolls according to college rules and regulations and thus his future will become dark.

I have fervent [?] hope that you will cooperate with us in restricting activities against the college discipline. (Thank you.)

Wassalam
Wishing for your cooperation

Chew on it for a while. I’ll post more about this and related issues during my college years in Pakistan in a couple of days.

UPDATE: More here and here.