DADU: The Jamshoro police were set to launch a hunt for over 260 ‘anti-state elements’, mainly Sindh University students, on Friday after registering a case against them for raising slogans against Pakistan during a gathering on the campus to celebrate Sindhi culture day.

ASI Syed Shafi Mohammad Shah lodged the FIR on behalf of the state under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code against 12 activists of various nationalist groups and 250 unknown participants of the gathering.

The nominated suspects are Fida Hussain Panhwar, Jani Wassan, Muzammil Zaman, Arsalan, Darya Khan, Shahbaz Pirzado, Latif Bughio, Nabi Bux Panhwar, Jaswant Rathor, Ghani Amanullah Chandio, Rabia Chandio and Zaib Jatoi. The university administration announced suspension of all academic activities on the campus for Friday (Dec 2) amid tension and a possible crackdown by police.

A notification issued on late Thursday evening said that academic activities on the campus would remain suspended but only the staff on essential duties would perform their duties as usual on Friday.

Unplanned gathering was held to celebrate Sindh culture day

It said that “keeping in view the law and order situation on the Allama I.I. Kazi campus, Jamshoro, the circular in terms of allowing students to celebrate cultural day is hereby withdrawn”.

The university administration had accepted its students’ request for holding a farewell-cum-cultural day programme on Friday but some nationalist groups held the same a day earlier on their own.

Over a couple of hundred SU students and other activists wearing Sindhi caps and turbans with Ajraks on their shoulders gathered in the Arts faculty building on Thursday to celebrate the unscheduled event. They danced to the tunes of Sindhi nationalist songs and raised slogans.

According to the content of the FIR, during patrolling duty, a police team noticed 250-300 people wearing Sindhi caps and turbans raising slogans against Pakistan and spreading hatred among people. As soon as the police team came close to them, they dispersed and fled. The complainant said that 12 of those leading the crowd and raising anti-state slogans were known to him and, as such, nominated in the FIR.

Jamshoro SSP Imran Qureshi told Dawn that an inquiry into the matter was started after registration of the FIR. He said arrests would be made once the preliminary inquiry was completed.

Sources on the campus claimed that police intervened when the university administration did not take notice of the anti-state slogans that were being raised at the gathering. They said the Jamshoro police sprung into action in the late hours of Thursday by chasing some of the activists outside the campus but could not arrest any of them. Later, they registered the case and sought permission from high-ups for a crackdown.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2022