KARACHI: Clashes erupt in many educational institutions
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, April 19: Academic activities at about a dozen educational institutions, including three universities, in the city were disrupted as the rival students groups — Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) and All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organization (APMSO) — clashed with each other on Saturday.
Both the groups mobilized their hundreds of activists who staged a show of strength at their respective educational institutions. Tension grew high at some of these institutions where both the sides indulged in fist-fighting and later used clubs, empty bottles, stones, etc. in clashes.
At some institutions, the clashes were so serious that some of the injured students had to be rushed to hospitals.
There were reports that bus-loads of activists belonging to one group arrived at different colleges to challenge the rivals. In the ensuing clashes, activists from both the sides sustained injuries and some others were unaccounted for till last reports came in, sources in these institutions said.
Among the violence-hit institutions were Jinnah College, Premier College, City College, Science and Arts campuses of the Federal Urdu University of Science, Arts and Technology, Karachi University, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Saify Polytechnic, Jamia Millia College and Govt College for Men, Nazimabad.
A teacher at Islamia College said that a group of outsiders tried to disrupt academic activities at the college but it was not allowed in.
At Karachi University, the rival groups clashed at different departments after raising slogans against each others. Some of the students were injured in the ensuing clash, campus source said adding that law enforcing agencies had to intervene to bring the situation under control.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the KU, Dr M. Altaf Khan, told Dawn that rival student groups resorted to challenge each other at about noon after receiving reports of clashes in other educational institutions. However, he added, due to the timely intervention by rangers and campus guards, the situation did not go out of control. He said he was not aware of any arrest having been made or any person having sustained serious injuries in the violence.
At the NED University, activists of the IJT and APMSO went on rampage at about 1pm. Damage was caused to the varsity property in the 15-minute rampage, sources on the campus said.
Giving details, the sources said that activists of the two groups clashed mainly near the university’s auditorium and in the Electrical and Mechanical Departments. They also ransacked fixtures and furniture during the rioting. The rangers intervened to disperse them and detained some of the activists for several hours, the sources added.
While confirming that classes were suspended later, an NED source said that the VC and other officials were in consultations to cope with the situation and action against those involved in violence.
In their separate statements, both the IJT and APMSO have accused each other of plotting to disrupt academic activities by resorting to violence at the colleges, universities and other institutions in an organized way.
Tension and clashes between the two groups at various educational institutions coincided with the April 16 incident at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology where activists from both the sides first indulged in violent attacks over a sticker campaign.
The clashes turned into a battle for supremacy and struggle for a dominating role in the affairs of their respective colleges particularly at a time when the HSC annual examinations are to commence shortly, according to sources.
Another source expressed the view that the clashes were aimed at involving local governments in maintaining law and order inside the educational institutions and ultimately shifting blame of any disorder, violence, partisan role, etc.
Explaining the idea, the source said that the motive was to prove that the experiment of local governments was an exercise in futility and that peace prevailed at educational institutions during the military government.
Some senior academics also linked the fresh wave of student clashes with the power politics in Islamabad.
Sources in different colleges pointed out that principals of some college were being pressured to spare some rooms for student groups’ offices.
A college teacher cast doubts over the holding of scheduled intermediate examinations in a peaceful atmosphere in the wake of the rising tension.
RECONCILIATION: The office of the Town Council, North Nazimabad, said in a press release on Saturday night that it had succeeded in getting an agreement signed by the IJT and APMSO representatives to stop violence at educational institutions.
The agreement of reconciliation was signed in presence of the Town Nazim, Dr Pervez Mahmood, and two of the MQM MPAs, Muhammad Moin Khan and Syed Shakir Ali, as well as principal of Jinnah College and SHOs of different police stations, it said.
All the arrested students belonging to both the sides have been released, Naib Nazim Maqsood Ahmed Khan said and hoped that the agreement would help reduce tension at different educational institutions in the city.
