KARACHI, April 30: Students of various professional education institutes in the city, including the Dawood College of Engineering and Technology, Dow Medical University, Sindh Medical College, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and Karachi University, observed 'black day' on Friday to protest against police action against students.

The DCET students boycotted their classes and condemned their college principal's attitude, who allegedly tried to force some students to attend classes. The protest call was given by the Joint Action Committee of DCET students, who were subjected to inhuman torture, baton charge and teargas shelling, when they were protesting against cancellation of their college's registration with the Pakistan Engineering Council at Numaish chowrangi yesterday.

"We want to inform Mr Chaudhry that unless the DCET is registered with PEC, students will not attend classes," the students contended. Welcoming KU Vice-Chancellor Dr Pirzada Qasim's statement that efforts would be intensified to get the DCET registered with the PEC, they said the students would soon request Dr Pirzada to have a meeting with them on this crucial issue.

They also demanded a judicial inquiry into yesterday's incident in which several students were allegedly injured and arrested, while urging the administration to suspend Jamshaid Town SHO for committing excesses against protesting students.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan People's Party on Friday condemned the brutal torture and use of force against protesting students and their arrests and vowed to raise this issue in the National Assembly and the Senate.

PPP deputy secretary general and parliamentary party leader in the senate, Raza Rabbani, said in a statement that the DCET students had the right to protest against cancellation of their college's registration with the PEC, adding: "Government's attitude towards protesting DCET students indicates that it does not want to fulfil its obligations and commitments and was deliberately trying to deprive young graduates of their right to earn livelihood in the country."

He vowed that his party would raise this issue in the National Assembly and the Senate to compel the government to equip the college with necessary scientific equipment and the required teaching staff so that it could be registered with the PEC.

MNAs and MPAs of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal also condemned the yesterday's incident and pledged to raise this issue in national and provincial assemblies. "Students and all other segments of the society have the right to protest against any injustice by the state and the government and nobody would be allowed to use force against protesting students," they vowed. -PPI