LAHORE: Hundreds of Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) activists on Friday ransacked the offices of Punjab University vice chancellor (VC), registrar and public relations officer.

The activists had gathered to protest outside the admin block of the university.

Three days ago, IJT activists had a brawl with the members of the Punjabi Council over pasting the posters of their programme.

The Punjabi Council was also organizing their cultural programmes and had hoisted posters in different hostels but the IJT activists started pasting their posters on those of the Punjabi Council. This led to a clash between the two groups and cases were registered against the attackers.

The IJT activists while demanding the arrest of the attackers, attacked the offices of the VC, registrar and public relations officer and vandalised the doors and windowpanes. A heavy police contingent came to the spot and dispersed the attackers and cleared the place.

A spokesperson for the IJT said that they demanded action against the outsiders living in hostels and also nominated in several cases.

He said these outsider residents should be arrested because they were creating the law and order situation on the campus.

Later, Iqbal Town SP Raza Tanveer had a meeting with VC Prof Dr Niaz Akhtar and other officials.

An insider on the condition of anonymity told Dawn that the SP refused to arrest the attackers as the arrests would create the law and order situation and urged the VC to hold dialogues with the IJT activists.

The VC, dismayed at the police approach, left the meeting in protest.

A spokesperson for the PU said that a complaint had been filed with the police to take legal action while the administration would expel those students involved in the incident of vandalism on Friday.

He said that the activists of the IJT had ransacked different offices after a fight that erupted among some students and some outsiders near the main cafeteria.

He said the university had taken measures to establish peace on campus and only a few dozen students on all sides were trying to disturb the peaceful environment of the university.

He said that the administration was identifying these students with the help of footage and strict action will be taken against them as per law.

On the other hand, Punjabi Council Chairman Khurrum Gondal said that four of their activists who were sitting at Main Cafeteria were beaten by the Hailey College IJT activists.

He said the IJT activists had torn their posters installed on the campus.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2021