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Students from the Islami Jamiat Taleba (IJT) on Friday took out a rally on the premises of Punjab University in an apparent show of strength in the wake of a clash between rival groups on the university's campus earlier this week.
Clashes ensued on March 21 after members of the IJT allegedly gatecrashed a Pakhtun cultural event held at the university premises in Lahore in an attempt to halt the proceedings.
At least 10 students were injured, and a heavy contingent of police intervened in the clash and used tear gas to disperse the violent crowd.
The rally being carried out today is a violation of orders that were issued by PU administration in the wake of the clash.
The PU administration in a new policy had said that all necessary steps are being taken on an urgent basis to de-politicise the student wings in the university, and that no student faction with links to any political party would be allowed to operate on campus.
The administration also declared that no ethnic, political or sectarian students group would be allowed to hold any programme in the PU or on the hostel premises. The policy also encompasses any form of sloganeering by the university students.
Members of the IJT during today's rally visited different university departments in a 'show of strength' on campus.
The IJT is a right-wing student body that often operates in university campuses across the country as the de facto moral police. IJT members have in the past objected to Valentine's Day celebrations and the playing of music at certain cultural events.
University administration officials have also complained to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif about the "Jamiat's negative activities on the university campus".
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Comments (27) Closed
Mar 31, 2017 04:43pm
Where is the writ of the Government now? All miscreants must be dealt with equal.
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Mar 31, 2017 04:44pm
Why do not university rusticate such students? Are they go for study in university or such kind of activities? These are so called EDUCATED people?
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Mar 31, 2017 04:46pm
Politics should be completely banned from universities. This needs to be stopped.
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Mar 31, 2017 05:06pm
Ground realities can neither be ignored nor put on the back burner.
For sure, IJT is a legal, moral and ethical student organization established more than 70 years ago to promote and protect the rights, privileges and interests of students at the educational institutions in the "land of the pure" like all other forward looking, mature, civilized, educated and emerging democracies of the world.
If democracy and a democratic process is introduced and has been working and prevailing in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in order to elect a government which is considered as a true representative of more than 225 million people, why the same rule does not apply to the educational institutions of the country pertaining to student unions, student associations, student clubs, student fraternities, student sororities and other similar student bodies?
I leave the answer to the enlightened, educated, enduring, excelling and exclusive readers and writers of this great DAWN forum.
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Mar 31, 2017 05:44pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad - "...For sure, IJT is a legal, moral and ethical student organization established more than 70 years ago to promote and protect the rights, privileges and interests of students at the educational institutions in the "land of the pure"...."
I tend to disagree on the "moral and ethical" aspects of the comments above. When I was a student in the UET, Lahore, I lived in one of the dorms for two years which was under the control of IJT and there I had the opportunity to see this organization very closely. IJT is a bully organization with no moral and ethical values. They beat up those who do not agree with their ideology which, I believe does not fall under the norms of democracy. They disrupt student activities that do not follow "their" ethical standards, which is pretty much everything. I have seen a lot more and worse during my student days at the UET
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Mar 31, 2017 06:06pm
This is called breaking the rules and thereby breaking the law. These elements IJT etc must be dealt with iron hands and crushed and the culprits must be punished severely otherwise it will embolden the gangsters and criminals.
Where is Mr. Nisar hiding now? He has nothing to say here. He boast about taking on the world but can't even take care of anything at home.
Again, until or unless severe punishments are carried out no one will respect the law or will be afraid of the law enforcement agencies or courts. This has to be nipped in the bud before it can raise its head. Time to take bull by the horn.
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Mar 31, 2017 06:10pm
So what did the university do to stop them today? You cannot let goons take the law in their hands. They should be severely dealt with.
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Mar 31, 2017 06:13pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad. Such activities have no place on the campuses. They can go out and preach their ethics and whatever else they wish.
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Mar 31, 2017 06:56pm
Islami Jamiat Talaba is the only student organization which represents all segments and ethnic groups all over the country , this is the reason why it has its units from karachi to gilgit, all these units have mechanism of elections every year. The leadership is changed with those ballots .
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Mar 31, 2017 07:04pm
This gov't is only good for making motorways, correction-expensive motorways. Also, they are good at leveling threats to prosecute anyone who speaks of their incompetency. Where is the VC and administration of PU if the CM needs to take care of every single thing? why are they being paid if they cannot even take care of their own house?
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Mar 31, 2017 07:10pm
Absolutely disagree with Dr Salaria.
Politics has no place on school, college and university campuses. IGT are self-styled, self righteous political bullies who conveniently use religion to curb peoples freedoms. Their hooliganism was at it's peak during the 80s and 90s. It is mainly because of them that engineering bachelor's degree (normally 4 years) at UET often took 7 years or longer. They even beat up the Vice chancellor of UET in his office in the 80s such was their terror. Back in those days UET was often referred to as University of Error and Terror. IGT are nothing but a bunch of rowdy troublemakers.
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Mar 31, 2017 07:21pm
These ignorant zealots should be imprisoned. As they teach hatred and violence , against true teaching of Islam.
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Mar 31, 2017 07:28pm
IJT had always a leeway from Sharif government, financed by Jamaat-e-Islami Sharifs do not want to ruffle the feathers. In the meantime , an institution of learning has become a play ground for 'professional' students belonging to IJT.
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Mar 31, 2017 07:37pm
This is a thug group who is covering itself under the Islamia banner. In Islam, violence is not allowed except in self defense and forcing ones opinion on others is not allowed. This group does both. All of them should be booked by police and embroiled in a court case for 20 years. Don't let them off. We don't want madressah culture coming into institutions of proper learning.
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Mar 31, 2017 07:54pm
I've been saying this for far too long...................BAN ALL POLITICAL PARTIES/UNIONS FROM ALL EDUCATIONAL CAMPUSES.
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Mar 31, 2017 08:11pm
Just expel them. Period.
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Mar 31, 2017 08:21pm
On the student level , Islami Jamiat talaba is the only organization which has its elected bodies all over Pakistan.
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Mar 31, 2017 08:34pm
Long live jamiat. Love from kashmir
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Mar 31, 2017 08:51pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad With due respect, i would like to differ with you on this. IJT is neither a democratic union nor works for the betterment of the students at the premises. I've spent two years of my life at Government Islamia College Civil Lines, Lahore and they treat students as if they are sheep. They impose upon their hard-line interpretation of Islamic injunctions on students. Student unions in general and IJT in particular promote violence in educational institutions to achieve their nefarious motives. See the ranking of Government College of Lahore and that of the University of the Punjab which has been the engulfed by these goons. All this should be banned for good. Our educational institutes cannot fall victims to these thugs.
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Mar 31, 2017 08:57pm
This is a challenge to Pakistan's government. Nisar and Nawaz want to close their eyes and make it all go away. The Western path to prosperity in life is much less divided. Religious arguments accomplish nothing. Is this problem the these groups are having with each other really a religious problem, or is it somethings else?
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Mar 31, 2017 09:10pm
@pU - Class of 1965
Remember, Jamat Islami is the coalition partner of PTI in KPK.
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Mar 31, 2017 10:20pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad - IJT is not a legitimate student organization, it is the so-called student wing of the Jamat i Islami an extreme right wing party which has long been inimical to the idea and ideology of Pakistan ; and the IJT is in fact comprised of professional badmashes and hooligans. Both Jamat i Islami and IJT should be banned in Pakistan and activists severely dealt with under anti-terrorism laws and NAP.
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Mar 31, 2017 11:51pm
A peaceful show should always be welcomed.
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Apr 01, 2017 03:43am
IJT is much better than all other student organisations. They may have made some mistakes but far less than all other.
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Apr 01, 2017 08:35am
@Syed Faisal so what? They bully others and have no tolerance for opinions of others. I have studied in PU back in the 80's - IJT guys are hypocrites and disrupt srudies and othervhealthy activities. They ask you not to play tennis wearing shorts!
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Apr 01, 2017 08:38am
@RAJA and JI had election alliance with PMLN in many recent by elections and elections in AJK, do not forget IJI
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Apr 01, 2017 09:20am
@SYED ANJUM ALI Yes do agree. They should be dealt with just like Bangladesh did with them.
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