College await police advice on Musharraf talk

The College has denied permission for a high-profile talk by former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Sunday 5th June, saying that they were not given enough notice. The talk, which may go ahead on the following Sunday, was organised by the Pakistan Society and was to focus on ‘Unity, Faith and Discipline’ and the role of young people in promoting peace.

The Union were informed of the visit on Monday 30th of June and the College Secretary was notified the next day, less than a week before the event was planned to begin. Pakistani Society President Hussain Ali said that the short notice was due to the fact that they were only able to recently confirm President Musharraf’s visit. However, he did admit that they had been trying to book him for a number of months, raising questions about why they did not signal to the Union or College that they were attempting to book the former Pakistani President.

The College is currently awaiting further security advice from the Metropolitan police regarding President Musharraf’s visit, and will make a decision about whether the talk could go ahead on Sunday 12th June on the basis of that advice. A College spokesperson said, “The priority in hosting external speakers is to ensure their safety and the safety of others on campus.”

It is not known as to whether there is a specific security threat but it is believed that there is concern that his visit could result in protests on campus. A public appearance by President Musharraf in Birmingham last year was met with protests, however a lecture given by him at Oxford Union in June 2010 passed without any serious incident.

Pakistan Society President Hussain Ali called the College’s security concerns “justified” and said that he was happy that they were continuing to consider his request. He said President Musharraf’s visit would “add to the reputation of the College” and urged the College to allow students the opportunity to “interact with and learn from one of the most influential personalities in the world today.”

Deputy President (Clubs & Societies) Heather Jones said that she hoped that any security issues could be resolved “as quickly as possible” and that President Musharraf “be allowed to speak at Imperial.”