KARACHI, Feb 27: Jamshed Quarters police, on Friday, arrested seven members of Islami Jamiat Talaba for attacking their rivals at Islamia Arts and Commerce College.

Police said that the trouble started when about 12 members of All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organization, who were in college uniform, entered the college premises. Police said some members of the Islami Jamiat Talaba tried to stop the entry of APMSO members and ransacked the college premises by pelting stones and damaging college furniture and other articles.

Police said the IJT students also threatened college vice- principal Prof Amin Khalid, who later lodged an FIR pointing out the damage to the college premises. Following the clash, police arrested Saqib, Faizan, Arman, Khalid, Sikandar, Waqas and Atif - all members of Islami Jamiat Talaba.

In the meantime, the APMSO and IJT blamed activists of each others of causing harassment and creating law and order situation in colleges. In a statement, the APMSO central committee stated, "When the students belonging to APMSO reached at Islamia Arts and Commerce College on Friday morning, the workers of anti-education organization turned violent against them as well as the college administration."

However, due to timely interference of the police and Rangers, the activists of so-called Islamic organization failed to fulfil their design. An IJT spokesman said that on Friday morning about 40 APMSO activists, who did not belong to Islamia Arts College, attacked IJT activists with sticks and iron rods while police played partial. The police arrested IJT workers and allowed further damage to college property, the spokesman added.

The activists of both sides had also confronted with each other on Feb 24. About 15 workers of APMSO and IJT were injured in those clashes. Talking to Dawn, DO Education (Colleges) Prof Haroon Rashid said that under the instructions of education minister he had visited Islamia Arts College, National College and PECHS Foundation College on Wednesday and submitted him a report about the volatile academic situation there.

He said that there was need to monitor the colleges in question and develop a coordination mechanism among the principals of these colleges to overcome any such incident in future.