KARACHI, April 21: Academic activities at several universities and colleges were suspended, at least for two days, following renewed hostilities between the activists of All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organization (APMSO) and Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) on Monday.

Both the organizations, student wings of rival political parties, have been accusing each other of fomenting violence but none of them was able to cite any reason for the renewed clashes at some colleges and a university. They also accuse police and rangers, besides some legislators, of partiality.

The rival groups have issued separate lists of 15 students each who, they claimed, were beaten up and injured in clashes that took place at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Islamia Arts and Commerce College, Jinnah College, Premier College, Dawood College of Engineering and Technology and City College.

Without mentioning the fresh violence, authorities of Federal Government Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology had, the other day, suspended teaching for a few days. Academic activities at the SSUET, Karachi University and Islamia Arts and Commerce College have also been suspended for two days — Tuesday and Wednesday.

Fresh violence broke out at the SSUET at about noon Monday when the university administration tried to persuade a group of students, belonging to a student organization and sitting in a corner of the campus, to get into their classrooms and their rival group objected to their entry.

Following heated verbal exchanges, the two groups indulged in a free-for-all and police had to intervene to restore peace, said a university source.

The SSUET, scene of the first of the current series of clashes between the two groups on April 16, has been closed for public dealing and academic activities, for the next two days. However, the teaching and non-teaching staff has been told to report to their duties as usual. Classes could not be held on Monday also after the clash, the source added.

Academic activities at the tension-gripped Karachi University remained suspended on Monday though the authorities did not relate the closure to the clashes. They termed it ‘precautionary measures’ and contended that break out of violence at this major campus would not be in the interest of any quarter.

Meanwhile, a major clash was reported from Islamia Arts and Commerce College where classes were interrupted at about 9.45am.

The Principal, Prof S. Azizul Hasan, said that senior education officials had visited the college during the day and it had been decided that teaching activities be kept suspended for the next two days.

It was all normal before a group of 25-30 students, equipped with sticks and rods forced their entry into the campus and attacked their rivals causing injuries to some of them as well as some policemen, a source on the campus said.

Another clash took place at the nearby Dawood College of Engineering and Technology where the IJT had organized a book fair. A college source said that the clash could have been averted had the rangers personnel, present there, intervened promptly. Principal of the college, Dr Muhammad Saleem Chaudhry, told this reporter that he heard noise of bottle and stone throwing while the fair was in progress. It later transpired that the participants were attacked, he said and added that he did not know about any student or participant being hurt. However, he said, some of the students from both the sides were detained after the violence.

On its part, the IJT has claimed that attackers who struck the DCET were outsiders and resorted to firing while speech of the chief guests of the book fair was in progress. Its claimed in a press release that that intruders attacked and injured about 15 IJT activists at Islamia Arts College, Premier College, Jinnah College, Saify College and North Karachi Degree College.

An APMSO press release claimed that armed IJT workers attacked the APMSO activists at different educational institutions, including Islamia Arts College, Sir Syed University and Premier College. It alleged that APMSO workers were subjected to torture and many of them were arrested at DCET.

Both the groups have claimed arrest and kidnapping of their members and accused some of the MPAs of indirect involvement in ‘hooliganism’.

In the meantime, college sources said that the process of distribution of HSC examinations’ admit cards would continue on April 22 and 23 despite suspension of classes at certain colleges.

About degree colleges, it has been gathered that teaching would be suspended from April 23 on account of the preparation for the HSC examinations starting April 24.