PESHAWAR, Nov 2: The NWFP Agriculture University has been closed for an indefinite period after a clash between the activists of two student organisations in which one of the activists sustained bullet injuries on Saturday.
After the incident, the varsity administration got all hostels vacated and sealed. The armed clash was a result of Friday’s brawl between the activists of the People’s Students Federation and Pukhtun Students Federation.
The police had arrested Sohail and Wahid, activists of the People’s SF, on different charges.
Discord between the two federations was simmering for quite some time. The clash between the two erupted when a member of the People’s SF was allegedly beaten up by some of the members of the Pukhtun SF on a petty issue on Friday, sources said.
The administration of the university turned a blind eye to the students’ brawl which resulted in firing within the varsity premises and the students of the agricultural university had to hurriedly leave the campus.
The sources said the students of the People’s SF stormed a hostel room of the Pukhtun SF on Saturday to take revenge of the violence perpetrated by the Pukhtun SF against their member.
The armed students allegedly opened indiscriminate fire on the students in the room, leaving Syed Ali Shah, a student of IBMS, injured. The injured was rushed to the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH).
Agricultural university vice-chancellor Prof Syed Iqbal Shah said the varsity would remain closed for indefinite period.
A student of the university said pre-emptive measures were not taken by the administration though the two federations were at loggerheads for quite some time “which has ultimately led to this grave situation”.
The police had arrested more than a dozen students and registered an FIR, Prof Shah said, adding that the university’s disciplinary committee would investigate and submit its recommendations to him. “The committee will take action against those responsible for the sad incident.”
The police said it searched hostel rooms and recovered some firearms. When Prof Shah was asked how could the students keep weapons, he linked it to the NWFP environment.
The condition of the student who was injured in the clash and admitted in the KTH’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is now stated to be stable.
The Islami Jamiat Tulaba and other students organisations have held the administration responsible for the sad incident.
Abid-ur-Rehamn, IJT Nazim of the campus, said the apathetic attitude of the varsity administration was responsible for the deteriorating environment of the campus.
He demanded of the authorities concerned to take action against those involved in the incident.
