Punjab University bans curricular, extracurricular activities of student organisations

E-Paper | June 14, 2026

The Punjab University on Friday banned curricular and extracurricular activities of all student organisations on the premises of the university.

The action was taken on the recommendation of the committee constituted by the administration after a recent clash between student organisations.

A senior university administrator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said students who want to hold a program need to first submit a proposal to the administration.

The university official added that the administration would then evaluate the proposal and if approved the university may provide security to avoid any untoward incident.

“No student organisation would be allowed to carry out their activities in the university premises,” said the administrator.

Earlier this week, at least five people were injured as students from the Islami Jamiat Taleba (IJT) allegedly gatecrashed a Pakhtun cultural event being held at PU.

IJT members allegedly tried to halt the proceedings, which resulted in a clash between students at the university.

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Imran Gabol is a Lahore-based reporter for Dawn with over a decade of experience in journalism. He covers politics, climate change, human rights, education, and metropolitan affairs. He can be found on X at @gabolizm.

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Qadir ali

Mar 24, 2017 08:58pm

Extremists have won in their narrative by making them banned in-directly.

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anees khan

Mar 24, 2017 08:59pm

This is a fiasco and failure of establishment to restore favorable environment to conduct activities.

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Laeeq

Mar 24, 2017 09:00pm

Campuses are for educational purposes not for political gains by religiously inclined student organisations. These activities should been banned long time ago.

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Ahmed

Mar 24, 2017 09:33pm

Do everything except take action against the culprits. .. typical

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M.Saeed

Mar 24, 2017 09:37pm

This is still a lenient action. We are in a very difficult stage of frequent turmoils resulting from most ordinary actions in the campuses, just due to sadistic reasons of the students nurturing the extremists tendencies. The evil must stopped in the bud.

Recommend 0

ALI khan

Mar 24, 2017 09:38pm

They were banned by musharraf but one of the first orders ppp gov passed was allowing student organizations again! Makes u think.

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A pashtun

Mar 24, 2017 10:13pm

Extremists need to be confronted, not acquisced to.

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LAHORI KID

Mar 24, 2017 10:30pm

No school should be used for political activities, period. If as a school, you have allowed it to happen for years, and now all of a sudden you consider it wrong, where thew h.. have you been for decades.

Recommend 0

Mar 24, 2017 10:34pm

Wow great job Pakistan now i know why you are going down the drain. Instead of controlling terrorism you completely banned entertainment and freedom of expression for youth.

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Falcon1

Mar 24, 2017 11:03pm

Mafia, thugs, criminal hordes and politics on school and university premises should never be allowed. If the students are more interested in extra-curricular activities more than learning, than they should simply be expelled. before few rotten apples spoil the entire student body.

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Govind Kadam

Mar 24, 2017 11:08pm

Pakistan, Punjab government is not making student friendly environment in university premise. This is attack on Freedom of Expression.

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SAI_USA

Mar 24, 2017 11:36pm

@ALI khan We know any party you name it....is the part of political party. and many political party specially leading parties are real enemy of the country. Religious or non religious parties they have their own agenda.

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a. Ali

Mar 24, 2017 11:31pm

simple, because youth voted for PTI not PMLn.

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Jameel wani(occupied kashmir)

Mar 25, 2017 12:15am

Good move...and the university administration must b tough againt these self created Molvis in future.

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Alba

Mar 25, 2017 12:23am

@Govind Kadam .... What the heck do they care? They send their children to foreign universities.

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Shazad

Mar 25, 2017 12:27am

Same used to happen in most Karachi institutions before APMSO, where IJT used to do crackdown, beating up students whose activities they did not liked (most of the time, their victims were NSF - National Student federation). Later PSF (Punjab student federation) came on scene and started challenging IJT in some institutions, unsuccessfully. Anyhow, APMSO (All Pakistan Muhajir Student Organisation) came on the scene and almost bulldozed all student organisations, though IJT gave a tough fight. Almost war like situation started in most institutions between APMSO and IJT. IJT lost, though kept challenging. IJT is tough nut who are not only bullies, but can act like criminals when dealing with others they do not agree. They also have connections in government, academia, bureaucracy and police, and are willing to use them for their purposes. Thus they damn care about law or rights of others. Only an equally strong student party can handle them appropriately.

Recommend 0

Mar 25, 2017 12:30am

If you've voted PMLN then stop crying and regretting. Next time Don't vote hypocrisy to bestow misery upon you.

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qamar zaman

Mar 25, 2017 12:37am

Every kind of political Party\ race related groups etc. should be banned in the educational Institutes.

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Pakistani

Mar 25, 2017 12:53am

The committee cannot even enter hostel no 1. Which is a IJT den.

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Musa

Mar 25, 2017 01:05am

Very studious youth!!!

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BlueCollar

Mar 25, 2017 01:11am

All are guilty, all are innocent what is the logic ? IJT has been the pioneer of hooliganism , professional agitators have destroyed the academics. Ban the party, expel the hooligans.

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shahbaz humayun

Mar 25, 2017 01:15am

These student organizations are backed by political establishment. These org have always hurt our education system thus needs to be banned forever.

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ARSHAD,Canada

Mar 25, 2017 01:35am

@Laeeq ,which activities are you objecting to? Universities all over the World have other events beside classes. By the way , JTI is the same group who locked Imran Khan in a room and handed him to the police in 2007.Quiz Hussain Ahmad had to apologized many times for their act.

Recommend 0

yussouf m mir

Mar 25, 2017 01:38am

PAKISTAN IS ONE COUNTRY WHERE STUDENTS ARE MORE IN POLITIC THAN IN STUDIES

Recommend 0

ARSHAD,Canada

Mar 25, 2017 01:38am

@Falcon1 I hope you are condemning the Jameat's thighs who had owned the PU for so long.

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ARSHAD,Canada

Mar 25, 2017 01:45am

@a. Ali wrong answer!

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Adnan Liaqat

Mar 25, 2017 02:13am

The mayhem caused by the incident has disturbed the students mentally. The Government and the P.U administration should take strict measures to eradicate such evil doers and bring them to justice. The long before established political groups must be must be prevented from establishing their writ irrespective of the fact to which political party they belong to. All the persons involved and those who support them at their back should be brought to justice.

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SAMI

Mar 25, 2017 02:16am

Education institutions should not allow apolitical activities It has spoiled student career. Musharraf banned these activities in Universities but thanks to PPP for starting it again. Making Sindh moinjo daro again is the credit of PPP and lucky we are Bhooto is alive

Recommend 0

MullahDopiazza

Mar 25, 2017 02:30am

So that was the idea? Ban activity? Who set this up?

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imran ali

Mar 25, 2017 03:06am

University should be places , where we appreciate each others difference in a good way. "Agree to disagree!" Everyone is allowed to express themselves and as they do not offend someones creed, religion and race. Universities are suppose to enlighten individuals and broaden their understanding of different cultures etc. But sick of seeing these Islamist groups overtaking universities. These thugs are giving Islam a bad name. Prophetic Mohammed used to gently explains right and wrongs. Never used violence and anger, but explained in humane manner.

Recommend 0

AXH

Mar 25, 2017 05:47am

Hand the troublemakers over to the Rangers and let ATC deal with them.

Recommend 0

jAVED

Mar 25, 2017 06:13am

Collective Punishment is not the answer to the antics of the Islami Jamiat. It is hard for me to call them Taleba.

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El Cid

Mar 25, 2017 06:34am

Desperate move. Should be temporary. Extracurricular activities are an important part of education and enriches student life. Administration should take time to study and understand the phenomena and fix it. Else the irresponsible, undisciplined and the extremist element has won this bout and achieved their objective to disrupt student life.

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Khwarizmi

Mar 25, 2017 06:36am

Welcome to dictatorship masked in (family-party-owned) democracy.

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saeed

Mar 25, 2017 07:36am

Thats what IJT wanted !!!!!!!!!

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Omeros

Mar 25, 2017 07:36am

Shameful. Instead of punishing IJT criminals in the university, the admin has banned all positive cultural activities.

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The_Truth

Mar 25, 2017 07:57am

Why don't ban the organisations itself?

Recommend 0

Mar 25, 2017 08:14am

Students come to University to learn and create, not for polictical adventurism. All political parties, involoved in educational institutions, should be banned as they destroy the future of students, as well as the development of the country. JI is the #1 culprit.

Recommend 0

Mohit

Mar 25, 2017 09:10am

The subcontinent is a victim of racial discrimination and so is the world. People with different backgrounds can't gel

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Asad Shah

Mar 25, 2017 09:59am

There is a need to put a permanent ban on IJT. They always try to impose their agenda over others and for that they are more than willing to adopt any kind of tactics.

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