17 July 2004	Saturday	28 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

LAHORE, July 16: The Punjab University's old and new campuses remained under the police control on Friday. No unpleasant situation arose, except protest by a small group of students outside the Islamia College on the Lower Mall against the government's action. The students blocked traffic on the road hardly for half an hour.

"The Old Campus remained peaceful. Our men are there to ensure peace," city division police superintendent Rao Karim said. All the eight pedestrian bridges on the Lahore canal, linking the university hostels with administrative and academic blocks, were razed in the action, which began late Wednesday night.

More than a dozen students and four policemen suffered injuries and 150 of the students booked by Muslim Town police for attacking police, hampering official task and creating lawlessness.

Some 38 of the 40 students had been set free by the police. Two were sent to jail for the same offence. The protesting students demanded their release, saying it (arrest) was against the negotiations between the PU administration and the government.

Although the government's announcement of building two underpasses at the New Campus has calmed down some of the students a bit, most of them have resented the decision and described it as unjustified.

"The situation will be clear after the summer vacation," a student said on the request of anonymity. Meanwhile, the traffic flow came to normal after all the roads leading to the university campuses were opened late Thursday night. Motorists faced little inconvenience on the canal road due to demolition of bridges.

The PU administrative staff and the students are observing a one-day strike on Saturday (today) by boycotting all classes, mainly evening classes and short courses, to lodge a protest against the action.