LAHORE: An LLB 5th-year Baloch student was rusticated by the Punjab University for taking part in a demonstration held for release of her fellow students two months back but she was kept in the dark allegedly to stop her from sitting exams.

The Punjab University (PU) administration had rusticated Sadia Baloch for allegedly making objectionable remarks against public institutions during the protest held on June 10 on PU New Campus.

According to an official notification, the protest rally, organised by Baloch students, took place without permission from the university. During the rally, the university alleged, Ms Baloch, a student of the University Law College, used inflammatory language in her speech, which was intended to incite other students against the government institutions. The student denies the charges leveled against her.

The university’s security office stated that Baloch’s actions were a violation of discipline and were detrimental to integrity and reputation of the institution. It recommended immediate suspension of the girl and referred her case to the disciplinary committee for further proceedings.

On the recommendation, the PU VC ordered the suspension of Sadia Baloch on June 14, under the University of the Punjab Act 1973.

Ms Baloch told Dawn the students had organised the protest rally after getting permission from the university and she did not make any comments against anyone. She said the students had raised voice by holding a rally as some of their fellow Baloch students were abducted by the law enforcement agencies and they demanded release of their fellows.

Ms Baloch further said she did not receive the suspension letter from the security officer and the Law College, issued two months ago. She said that she herself went to the college on Saturday after hearing about her suspension but no one provided her with the notification while she was told that they did not receive any notification about her suspension.

Sadia Baloch said she personally checked the documents placed on the table of a clerk in the college and found the notification on her own. She said the university administration was not giving her notification to stop her from appearing in the examination, starting next week.

She said she would approach the court for cancellation of her rustication to appear in the exam.

PU spokesperson Khurrum Shehzad said the suspension letter was received by the law college the next day of issuance and it might have been sent to the student. He also claimed that the action was taken against the student for a provocative speech against the state institutions during the rally.

He said Ms Baloch could approach the disciplinary committee of the university to challenge her suspension while adding the student had not approached the university yet to appeal against her suspension and to get permission to appear in the examination.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2024