QUETTA: The Balochistan Assem­b­ly has formed a parliamentary committee to approach the federal and Punjab governments to seek action against the students involved in an attack on Pakhtun students on the campus of Punjab University (PU) two weeks ago.

The committee is headed by Chief Minister Nawab Sanaulah Zehri.

The assembly session, presided over by Speaker Raheela Hameed Durrani, after a lengthy debate on two adjournment motions on the unrest at the university, also adopted a resolution on Thursday night. The resolution termed the attack during Pakhtun culture day celebrations “an attack on entire Pakhtun community and an attempt to disturb law and order situation at the campus”.

It demanded strict action against the elements involved in the attack to prevent such incidents in future.

Earlier speaking on his adjournment motion, deputy opposition leader Zamrak Khan Piralizai said that the attack carried out by workers of the Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba (IJT) was a serious issue as Pakhtun students studying in the university had repeatedly been attacked and injured.

He said that the university authorities were not allowing Pakhtun students to take out a rally or stage a demonstration, but there was no such restriction on IJT workers. He said that steps should be taken to resolve the issue on a permanent basis.

Provincial minister Dr Hamid Achakzai warned that the situation could deteriorate if action was not taken against those involved in the attack. He recalled that [in the 1980s] an extremist student organisation was formed [in Karachi University] in reaction to such activities of the IJT.

Led by the chief minister, the committee will seek protection of students from the province on the campus

He said that the Punjab government should be approached to seek protection of Pakhtun students and those from other provinces studying in Punjab University.

Balochistan Finance Minister Sardar Aslam Bizenjo proposed that a parliamentary committee be formed to take up the issue with the Punjab government and the university authorities to resolve the issue for ever.

Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail supported the proposal and said that around 25,000 students from Balochistan were studying in different educational institutions of Punjab and it was the responsibility of lawmakers of the province to protect them.

Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran said that students from Balochistan had the right to study at any educational institution of the country and celebrate their cultural day and the legislators had to protect these right.

He said that the IJT had been dominating educational institutions for 50 years through such activities.

Nawab Muhammad Khan Shahwani said that Baloch students had also been attacked at the university and called for an investigation into the incident.

Provincial Education Minister Abdul Rahim Khan Ziaratwal said that under a conspiracy Pakhtun students had been attacked at the university for the last four years, but no action was taken against the ‘extremists’ of the IJT.

He said that the latest incident had taken place despite an assurance held out by Jamaat-i-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch earlier that IJT activists would refrain from targeting Pakhtun students.

He alleged that the IJT was involved in extremism as many wanted militants were arrested from the hostels of Punjab University where they were staying with activists of the organisation.

Masooma Hayat, Husun Ara Rakh­shani, Nasarulah Zeray, Syed Liaqaut Agha and William Johan Barkat also spoke on the occasion. They urged the Punjab government and the university authorities to ensure that such incidents did not recur.

They said that such incidents could lead to a volatile situation and demanded registration of an FIR against those involved in the attack.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2017