By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: Heavy contingent of police were seen Wednesday guarding Punjab University new campus to avoid any further clashes of student groups following a wave of fresh violence between Islami Jammiat Tulaba (IJT) and Pashtuns sending around 18 to the hospital.
A scheduled historic drama titled “Year 1947” San 47, was postponed. Also the annual book fair has been postponed.
On Wednesday, considerably less number of students could manage to attend their classes as many were stopped by their fearful and concerned parents and others were unable to make it because there was no official university transportation available for the day.
Pashtun students took out a protest rally outside outside Sociology Department and chanted slogans against IJT, who also announced a rally outside Islamic centre. In the evening they also addressed a press conference at Lahore Press Club and blamed that the police and PU vice chancellor were pampering and patronizing the IJT. They demanded the Chief Minister to provide them justice.
Meanwhile, a Punjab University meeting chaired by vice chancellor Dr Zafar Mueen decided to circulate a ruling of Supreme Court wherein all student unions were banned. According to the key decisions taken in the meeting, no organization will be allowed to hold any event, except university administration. Arrangements will be made to depoliticize PU, use of loudspeakers have been banned. Lists of illegal hostilities will be prepared. Teachers will focus on the character building of the students.
Punjab Higher Education Department has issued a notification constituting a 7-member fact finding committee to investigate the fresh violence in PU and submit a report to the Minister for Higher Education Syed Ali Gilani in 10 day. The committee is headed by Special Secretary Higher Education and chaired by PU VC Dr Zafar Mueen. Other members included DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf, SP Iqbal Town Umer Farooq, Chairman Hall Council Abid Hussain Chaudhry, PU Director Student Affair Shahid Gul, Chief Security Offcier PU Col (r) Muhamamd Obaid and RO-1 who will be secretary of the committee.
On the other hand, PU Teachers Front (PUTF) has announced a Shadow Academic Staff Association, following the inability of the incumbent representative of the university teachers who remained completely silent on the sad incident of brutal fight between IJT and Pashtun students.
PU Teachers Front President Sajid Rasheed and Secretary Dr. Mahboob Hussain in a statement issued here on Wednesday said, following a meeting of the senior level university teachers wherein it was seriously felt that the incumbent ASA was completely ignorant and unaware of the seriousness of the recent wave of violence in the university. When there is a need that the university teachers must come forward and play a role to help establish peace and harmony on the camps. At this crucial time ASA is nowhere in the scene.
Keeping in view this fact, PU TF has announced a shadow ASA with immediate effect the idea was already approved in Teachers Front last meeting, the statement reads.
The Shadow ASA leaders said those who won ASA election actually got less votes than the total votes which were casted against them. Therefore, keeping silence and remaining mum at this important time was their natural behavior.
The Shadow ASA has condemned the sad incident of yesterday’s brawl between IJT and Pashtun students and demanded the Punjab Chief Minister, Minister for Higher Education Punjab and the university administration to deal the culprit with an iron hand. They said those who took law in their hand must be dealt strictly.
The said the Shadow ASA would play its role help restore peace and harmony on the campus, the statement adds..