LAHORE: A violent clash between two groups erupted late on Saturday night at Punjab University, resulting in injuries to five students.

The altercation occurred between activists of the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) and the Pashtun Student Council.

Reports said a group of IJT activists approached a private canteen located outside Hostel No 9. They started inspecting the rate list of various food items and proceeded to paste their own list on the canteen. The IJT activists then attempted to force the shopkeepers to close their canteens if they refused to implement the new rate list.

In response, activists from the Pukhtun Council also approached the canteen in an attempt to prevent the IJT from closing the shops. This led to a heated argument between the two groups. The situation quickly escalated, with activists from both sides, armed with clubs and sticks, resorting to violence.

The Punjab University administration called the police, who arrived at the scene and took 27 students from both groups into custody.

The Muslim Town police registered a case under terrorism charges against both groups on behalf of the state on Sunday, booking the students involved in the incident.

According to the FIR available with Dawn, the two student groups had a fight at the Hostel No 9 canteen, during which the students opened fire at each other, resulting in five students being injured. A total of 38 students were nominated in the case.

However, a security official, who sought anonymity, contradicted the FIR’s claims, stating that the students were not carrying any weapons and did not resort to firing.

Punjab University spokesperson Khurrum Shehzad stated that the PU administration has taken notice of the incident and constituted a committee to investigate the issue.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2024