LAHORE: Six activists of two student organisations were allegedly injured in a clash over installing welcoming banners for the new students at the Punjab University on Monday.

The incident occurred outside the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) on the New Campus when the activists of the Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba (IJT) and the Punjabi Council were displaying banners and posters to welcome the fresh students to the varsity.

Both groups accused each other of removing their banners and posters, leading to the confrontation.

According to IJT activists, they had installed their posters in the ISCS, when their rival Punjabi Council students removed the same and pasted the posters of their own organisation there.

Following the dispute, the activists of both organisations gathered outside the ISCS and attacked each other with batons, besides resorting to aerial firing.

As a result, six students, three each belonging to both rival groups, were injured and taken to hospital for treatment. Punjabi Council activists say they were displaying welcome banners for the newcomers in the university when the IJT activists armed with weapons and batons attacked them.

They alleged that the IJT activists did not allow activities by any other organisation on the campus and used violence as a tactic to harass their rivals.

They demanded the government to take action against the IJT “goons”, alleging they were also involved in transporting weapons to the campus.

Later, a heavy police contingent arrived on the campus and dispersed the students belonging to both bodies.

The police have taken three to four activists from both sides into custody and started investigation into the matter.

A PU spokesperson says the clash erupted between the activists of rival student organisations over removing each other’s welcoming banners and posters.

He says that several students were injured in the clash, adding that strict disciplinary action would be taken against the activists of the both organisations.

He said that as the activists of rival groups also shattered the windowpanes and doors of the department’s building, a criminal case would also be registered against them.

The spokesperson says police were called to normalise the situation so that other classes could be held smoothly on the campus, adding that peace was restored after the police dispersed the students.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2024