Fateh Ali's sons and Briton recruited

Lahore: The Punjab University has hired a British professor and the two sons of the late singer Ustad Fateh Ali Khan to teach at the new Musicology Department of the University.

Cambridge-graduate British professor is William Keith Timmney.

According to the university Registrar Professor Dr Naeem Khan, the faculty members have been hired despite threats and pressures mounted by Islami Jamiat Talaba — the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami. He said the University administration has initiated the academic programme strictly for promotion of culture of the region and it would not let anyone impose the opinion of the minority over the majority.

He said the university was prepared to deal with miscreants with an iron hand.

He said the university administration envisioned the Musicology Department in response to demands by students, with a view to promote the legacy of Muslim mystics like Ameer Khusro, Khawaja Moeenuddin Chishti, Khushhal Khan Khatak and Pathanay Khan.

He said the department has received hundreds of applications for the two-year Master's programme in Music and classes for the maiden batch will begin on October 6. Theory classes will be held at the old campus of Punjab University and practical classes will be held at Alhamra Cultural Centre.