LAHORE: The Punjab University (PU) administration on Saturday suspended 14 students from attending classes for their alleged involvement in an on-campus clash between two student organisations.

Up to 18 people, including 10 security guards, were injured when Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) and Pakhtun Students Council clashed with each other outside the Sociology Department on Friday.

The violence erupted due to exchange of words at a canteen outside the Sociology Department and the brawl soon developed into a scuffle leaving Pakhtun Council Chairman Waqas Khan, Wasim Wazir, Sohail Dawar and Israr Baloch injured.

Later, Pakhtun Council and Punjabi Council activists started protest march on the vice-chancellor office when they spotted four IJT activists coming out of a mosque near Faisal Auditorium.

Pakhtun Council students thrashed and injured them critically. Security guards stepped in to stop the students were also thrashed and 10 of them suffered head injuries. The injured IJT activists were identified as Qadeer, Bilal, Arslan Sarfraz, and Arslan Manj.

Later, Muslim Town police registered a case against four nominated and 20 unidentified suspects.

According to a notification available with Dawn, the university administration took disciplinary action against the students involved in clash and suspended 14 of them from attending classes. The suspended students include Muzafar Ahmad, Ansar Abbas, Qaiser Khan, Naseem Ahmad, Muhammad Umer Ilyas, Kabir Sohail, Bilal Luqman, Muhammad Abdullah, Shazaib Arif, Babar Hussain, Muhammad Rehan, Muhammad Waqas and Imran Khan.

It further states that the students were suspended on violation of code of conduct under regulation 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the University of Punjab Act, 1973. The students were suspended from the Rolls of the University and their hostel accommodation was also cancelled.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2020