KARACHI, Aug 17: Ordering the enforcement of a ban on political activities in the affiliated colleges of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), the university syndicate has decided to approach leaders of political parties in a bid to de-politicise these institutions, a top official said.

“We have decided to approach the leaders of political parties whose subsidiaries are involved in political activities at our colleges to de-politicise campuses and ensure a peaceful academic atmosphere,” Prof Masood Hameed Khan, Vice-Chancellor of DUHS, told Dawn.

The DUHS syndicate held an emergency meeting at the university’s premises on Friday to discuss the law and order situation in the aftermath of violent clashes between the Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba (IJT) and Punjabi Students’ Association of the Sindh Medical College (SMC). The campus violence resulted in the killing of SMC student and IJT activist Abdul Rehman.

The DUHS vice-chancellor updated the syndicate members about the situation at the Dow Medical College and the SMC, including the management’s decision to get the boys’ hostels of the affiliated colleges vacated.

The syndicate members decided to enforce the existing ban on political activities in the affiliated colleges in letter and spirit.

The syndicate decided that political activities should strictly be prohibited in accordance with the code of conduct devised by DUHS.“Every student gives us an undertaking at the time of admission that he/she would not take in political activities at the campus. They have been violating this rule, but in future, every student will have to show and practice what they have undertaken,” said Prof Khan.

He said parents would be involved if students violated the ban and show-cause notices would be served.

“We could rusticate a student as the last option if one continues to be involved in political activities,” he said.

The syndicate decided to remove political graffiti and illegal notice-boards from both campuses before teaching activities resume.

The colleges are scheduled to reopen on Monday; however, Prof Khan said a final decision would be taken after reviewing the situation.

Meanwhile, officials at the DMC said they had the boys’ hostel vacated on Friday, while most rooms of the SMC boys’ hostel had also been vacated.