forget what his religious inclincation is....pls tell us if you support all of the things hoodbhoy mentioned in the article such as reciting or listening to certain holy verses “can control genes and metabolites” and suggested that specially equipped audio-visual rooms be made in hospitals to treat terminally ill patients.
I am not sure what research exactly is base of the statement made by the head of the department but on a general note, we know mind can control every part of body.
Reading or listening the Quran can affect/change the way human thinks about a certain thing. Your thoughts can control genes. www.psmag.com/nature-and-technology/controlling-genes-mind-94303
Not sure what process he has proposed but he certainly is not referring patients to pirs. . Hoodbhoy is exaggerating it as if pakistani universities are referring patients to aamils.
Also the point of not letting students question is valid but it has nothing to do with religious status of teacher. Me as a student of computer science know teacher are hesitant to award Phd degrees as they believe students will compete them. Also they have limited scope of research and research on new topics is hardly appreciated. These are the problems of our education system instead.