LAHORE, May 2: The Punjab University has formed another body after the failure of the fun and function committee to convince the Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) not to hold a book fair on the campus as any activity organized by a political student wing is banned. Meanwhile, a student function committee has announced to hold a three-day book fair from May 11. An IJT spokesman, however, claims that the student committee has nothing to do with the IJT.

The university sources told Dawn on Monday that Oriental College dean Prof Akram Chaudhry had resigned from the chairmanship of the fun and fair committee after differences with a senior administration officer over the issue. He had submitted his resignation to the vice-chancellor, they said.

They said the fun and function committee had earlier allowed the IJT to hold the function on May 7 with some other name.

The new five-member executive committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Prof Fazle-i-Aleem, Centre for Higher Energy Physics chairman. Its members include the registrar and the PU Academic Staff Association president.

The sources said the new committee would negotiate with the IJT to find an amicable solution to the issue.

The PU has been facing problems for the last few months after the chief minister banned all political activities in educational institutions. Any other activity organized by any students’ political wing has also been banned.

The IJT wanted to organize a Mushairah in April on the campus, but it had to cancel the same after the intervention of the administration. However, the IJT claims that it had cancelled the programme on an assurance that the administration would allow them to hold the book fair.

When contacted, registrar Dr Naeem Ahmad said the new committee was formed not especially to resolve the book fair issue. “It will chalk out the remaining year’s extra-curricular activities programmes,” he said. He denied that the fun and function committee chairman had resigned from its chairmanship over the issue.

He said the university would not allow any political activity on the campus, however, it would promote educational and extra-curricular activities.