KARACHI: Students’ protest mars PTI chief’s KU visit
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 24: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, who in a motorcade had gone to the University of Karachi as a invited speaker on Wednesday, had to retrogress amidst a students’ protest without delivering a lecture.
The slogan-chanting procession of Imran Khan stopped in front of the administration block to call on the vice-chancellor before proceeding to the central auditorium where he had to speak on the “Vision of Pakistan.”
However, he had to face a group of students, who were already angry over the university administration’s initiative to hold a series of lectures involving political figures. The irritated students expressed their opposition against the arrival of Mr Khan, who, they said, was mobilizing people in favour of the forthcoming referendum.
According to an eye witness, it was a conflicting situation and in addition to altercation between the two groups some sorts of physical aggression also took place. Some of the supporters from both the sides received injuries, while one or two vehicles of the visitors were also damaged due to stone-pelting.
Mr Khan told newsmen that when federal minister for Information Nisar Memon and Jamaat-i-Islami leaders, including Professor Ghafoor Ahmed, were allowed to visit and speak before the students then what made the students to stay against him.
“What has been demonstrated today is nothing but vandalism by a handful of students, which should be checked at once,” he said, adding that he had been visiting other universities and did not anticipate such a confrontation at the KU.
Mr Khan stayed on the campus along with his party workers for about one and-a-half hour and before leaving spoke briefly to his party workers, students and some non-teaching employees of the university.
He said act of hooliganism on the campus was not a good development and it was tantamount to limiting the intellectual forum available in the form of universities. He said unless the vandalism was not eliminated from the campus the goal of improving the quality of education in universities could not be fulfilled.
The IJT chief, KU, Osama Shafiq, informed newsmen that his group had pointed out to the vice-chancellor that they should ensure that personalities from both the sides, those supporting the referendum and those opposing it, should be invited.
Mr Imran Khan along 300 men entered the campus with all political fanfare, chanting slogans in favour of referendum and they did not refrain from driving through the demonstrating students carelessly, which caused injuries to five students, he claimed.
The IJT leader also claimed that Rangers personnel had recovered a TT from the possession of a person driving a pick-up, which was part of the motorcade.
A spokesman for the university, Dr Shakil Farooqui, said PTI chief had been invited as a national hero not as a political figure to speak on the role of students in nation building.
The coordinator of Mr Khan in Karachi had already been urged to avoid any political utterance while coming to the university or addressing the students, the spokesman added.
He said it was unfortunate that a confrontation took place on arrival of Mr Khan, especially when the university authorities had indicated to the students that such visits by other political figures would also be ensured soon.
A KU press release said the scheduled lecture by Imran Khan was postponed due to an unpleasant incident on his arrival.
