HARIPUR: Workers of the Islami Jamiat Talaba staged a protest sit-in outside the Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology in Mang area here on Wednesday complaining about a nighttime musical programme.

The protest continued until night as protesters refused to go away until the cancellation of the event despite requests by Khanpur SHO Chanzeb Tanoli.

The IJT formally approached the deputy commissioner of Haripur against the event and sought its cancellation insisting the mixed-gender gathering is against the local culture and values as well as Section 294 of the PPC, and is “meant to spread obscenity.”

The musical programme was part of the 2pm-9pm “cultural event MEGAEVE2.0 and featured DJ Night, cultural dance, horse dance, rabab performance and gym activities,” according to the institute’s cultural society.

Stages sit-in outside campus

As the event started, the IJT workers gathered outside the campus holding banners and shouting slogans, and staged a sit-in.

However, they didn’t block the Khanpur Road and vowed to stay put until the musical programme was cancelled.

IJT district president Imran Alizai and district emir Ghazan Iqbal Khan Tareen condemned the holding of the musical event “when the entire Muslim world is mourning the genocide of Palestinians by Israel.”

They said their organisation was opposed to musical performances on campus and not the rest of the programme.

The IJT leaders said that the administration’s permission for the event caused a law and order situation.

When contacted, assistant provost of the institute and programme organiser Dr Amir Zeb said that the event was a “routine activity” held in educational institutions.

“This programme was organised by students to highlight their culture,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2024