LAHORE, April 8: A group of Punjab University students severely thrashed Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) activists outside the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology on the New Campus on Tuesday.

IJT activists Ansar Shoaib and Muhammad Ali, PU Law College students, were thrashed by anti-IJT students of the university. Anti-IJT sentiments have been running high among the students after the right-wing Jamaat-i-Islami’s student faction thrashed PTI chief Imran Khan on campus in November last. Anti-IJT students have recently formed a University Students Federation (USF).

Later, IJT activists along with injured students staged a protest demonstration outside the Lahore Press Club and demanded that the administration expel those who had thrashed their fellows.

Dawn learnt that the PU Law College disciplinary committee met on Tuesday morning to discuss the manhandling of a college student, Asad Gujjar, by IJT activists on March 25 when college students were planning to hold a cricket mela on the campus.

Following the incident, both IJT activists and anti-Jamiat students had approached the administration with complaints against each other.

At the disciplinary committee meeting, it is learnt, Law College Principal Ashfaq Ahmad Khan tried reconciliation between both groups. IJT activists, however, insisted on action against their opponents.

After the meeting, a large number of USF members, from several departments, held a meeting on the Law College ground to discuss a strategy regarding student union elections. After the meeting, which concluded at around 4pm, USF members were coming out of the college, when IJT activists, including Ansar Shoaib, arrived there and exchanged hot words with some students, a USF member told Dawn.

As more USF members arrived at the scene, the USF member said, IJT activists fled and again held a few students outside the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology.

"We again called the USF members, who on arrival thrashed IJT activists, including Ansar Shoaib, Muhammad Ali and others," he added.

He said the USF would submit a complaint against the IJT to the university administration.

IJT PU Nazim Zahid Naveed said the PU administration should take action against those who had thrashed the Jamiat activists.

He accused Fahad Bhatti, Ali Ahsan Warraich and Asad Gujjar of beating the IJT activists. He alleged the PU administration had incited the students to clash with the IJT.