LAHORE, Dec 29: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif assured University Students Federation (USF) representatives on Monday that a thorough probe would be conducted into the Dec 3 firing incident in a Punjab University hostel and the accused would be brought to the book.

The chief minister said this when USF representatives protesting outside PU Environmental Law Centre sought his attention after the conclusion of inaugural ceremony of a three-day international conference on ‘History, politics and society: The Punjab’ on Monday.

When the chief minister came out of the auditorium, USF representatives including, women students, led by Amir Jalal chanted slogans “Khadim-i-ala kahan ho”, “Tairey hotey howe zulm keyon” and “Khadam-i-ala insaaf dilao”.

When Mr Sharif went to the protesters, Mr Jalal said PU students were passing through painful circumstances as the activists of a student organisation had shot and injured two students in Hostel No 16 at around 3am on Dec 3 and tortured many others. He said there was an environment of fear in university in general and hostels area in particular. Mr Jalal said the university students were getting themselves migrated from the university. He alleged that the activists, who tortured students, were also visiting their associates’ residences and threatening their parents of consequences, if they did not stop their wards to go against them.

According to Mr Jalil, more than half rooms in Hostel No 16 were lying vacant due to fear of the thugs. The USF also circulated a pamphlet mentioning all these details.

Earlier, the chief minister told reporters that nobody was above the law. He said any student organisation involved in violence activists would be dealt with an iron hand.

USF representatives earlier wanted to stay inside the auditorium, however, they were told to go outside if they wanted to protest. While the students were chanting loud slogans to attract the chief minister, PU Registrar Prof Dr Naeem Khan tried to silence them but they refused and remained adamant to express their feelings to the chief minister in person.