QUETTA, July 31: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court here on Tuesday ordered members of the Academic Staff Association and students of the Balochistan University not to indulge in political activities.

It also ordered that no statements should be published in newspapers regarding the affairs of educational institutions in Balochistan.

The bench also ordered the University of Balochistan administration to distribute copies of the court order issued on April 2, 2007 among members of the Academic Staff Association, wherein the administration was ordered to take action against the teaching staff who indulges in political activities. Contempt of court proceedings would be initiated against the staff concerned who violate the order.

The orders came when the bench said that it had noticed members of various political parties issuing statements regarding the university’s affairs in violation of the High Court order as it had also issued orders in the past that statements of students, teaching staff and outsiders should not be published in newspapers.

The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Mr Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai and Mr Justice Akhtar Zaman Malghani, issued the orders during the hearing of a constitutional petition filed by a citizen, Syed Saleem Akhtar, against the university administration.

The bench ordered the administrations of all educational institutions to ensure that only those students be allowed to appear in examinations who had attended at least 75 per cent of the lectures.

The bench issued a notice to the Balochistan secretary, Communication and Works Department, and ordered him to have boundary walls constructed around the Bolan Medical College.

It further ordered its executive engineer and representative of the Finance Department to hold a meeting with the principal of the Bolan Medical College in his office for raising boundary walls on the western side of the college.

It also ordered the provincial Finance Department to allocate funds for the construction of boundary walls around Government Degree and Polytechnic Colleges at the earliest.

It issued a notice to the vice chancellor of the Khuzdar Engineering University to submit a report regarding development activities being carried out there.

The proceedings were adjourned till September 10. All officials concerned have been summoned on that date.—APP