ISLAMABAD: Ten students of Quaid-i-Azam University have been booked for their involvement in a clash on campus on Thursday night that left eight students injured.

University administration got an FIR registered with the Secretariat Police Station, which stated that a group of approximately 180 to 200 Punjab students mostly outsiders, carrying arms and batons and iron rods, attacked a group of Pakhtoon students on huts (canteen) in which several from Paktoon students were injured.

The FIR further stated that during the altercation, multiple gunshots were reportedly fired by Punjabi students. Later on, FIR stated that a group of Punjabi students attacked hostel number 9 and “set rooms on fire.”

The fire caused heavy toxic smoke in the hostel, which put lives of boarding students at risk. The FIR which was lodged by Campus Manager Col Nadeem Abbas nominated eight Punjabi students.”

A QAU official said that university has been closed till next Monday while university also got 80pc boys hostels vacated and the rest will follow suit. Earlier, on Thursday a notification issued by the QAU administration stated that boys’ hostels will remain closed from October 11 to 20 due to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. It directed boarders to leave along with their valuables by Oct 11 (today).

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2024