LAHORE: The Punjab University (PU) administration on Saturday suspended nine students of the Punjabi Council and the Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) for their alleged involvement in a clash five days ago. It also cancelled the hostel allotments of these students.

The Punjabi Council activists were organsing a rally on campus to welcome the newcomers late on Nov 26 when a group of IJT activists stared gathering outside Hostel No 8 and chanted slogans. Both student groups clashed and resorted to aerial firing as a result of which five of them were injured.

A police contingent and university officials mediated between them and later, a case was registered against seven nominated and 15 unidentified students under sections 324, 506-B, 148 and 149 of the PPC on the complaint of injured student Mustansar Ali.

The suspended students are Aqib Saeed, Khurram Fiaz Gondal, Wasim Akram, Kazan Noon and Babar, all of the Department of Social Work, Adnan Ahmad and Haseeb Arshad of the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, Hafiz Jawad Hussain of the Department of English Language and Literature and Ahtisham Hussain of the Department of Philosophy. The administration also cancelled their hostel allotments.

PU Registrar Dr Khalid Khan said the administration had formally suspended the students over violations. He said the Discipline Committee would hold an inquiry to fix responsibility and recommend major penalties on the students found guilty of violating the University Act.

Punjabi Council chairman Khurrum Gondal said they were welcoming the newcomers when the IJT activists attacked them. He alleged that the administration was supporting the “fascist” organisation in every matter and they were not allowed to carry out their cultural activities. He said the varsity administration didn’t also listen to them and without probing the incident barred them from taking classes.

IJT central sectary information Rana Usman said the council activists had attacked their members in canteen. He said many activists were injured and they fought back in retaliation.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2019