03 November 2004	Wednesday	19 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Nov 2: Classes remained suspended in about five educational institutions of the city on Tuesday following clashes between student groups during the last few days.

Teaching suffered badly at the Urdu University campuses and at the Adamjee College, Government College of Commerce and Economics and National College on Tuesday as students and teachers stayed away, fearing violence.

According to official sources, teaching will remain suspended for two more days at the two campuses of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology.

A senior official of the university said in view of the prevailing tension, the administration of the university had decided to suspend teaching activities on Wednesday and Thursday as well.

Following a clash between two groups of students on Saturday last, the university remained closed on Monday and Tuesday.

In the meantime, rangers have been deployed at the Gulshan campus of the Urdu University for an indefinite period.

The Government National College remained virtually closed on Tuesday as students were not allowed to enter the premises.

According to an official of the college, gates were closed, but teaching staff remained present on Tuesday. The decision to suspend teaching activities was taken after a clash between two student groups on Monday, added the official, saying classes would be held as usual on Wednesday and onwards.

At the Commerce College, teaching was suspended as a precautionary measure as a student organization had announced to observe Soyem of one of its worker, said an official of the city government. The student had earlier lost his life in a clash between two student groups.

Students of Adamjee College, where a group of students with the support of outsiders, had allegedly been misbehaving with teachers and students for the last few days, said they returned without attending their classes on Tuesday.

They said if the administration and the education department were unable to get rid of the nuisance, how could they pursue their studies.

When contacted, a senior official of the city government's education department said his department had already moved the authorities for deployment of rangers at the Government Commerce College, National College, Saify College, Adamjee College and Islamia College, while efforts were also being made to allay fears of students and teachers at the educational institutions.