VEHARI, Feb 4: Political interference and poor administrative control have been reigning the Government College for Boys for the last few years.

The college administration has failed to make students follow the rules and maintain discipline. Consequently, some impudent students had recently exchanged gunfire on the campus.

The institute was established on Aug 6, 1968 with the efforts of the Anjuman-i-Islamia at the building of the municipal high school's primary section. Later on Jan 6, 1970, it was shifted to the building of Islamia High School. Ghulam Rasool Ansari was the first principal of the college.

The college shifted to its newly constructed 30-acre building on the Multan Road on Sept 12, 1985. The college had the honour to start postgraduate classes in 1999. Initially, it offered masters in English, Economics and political science, but now it is planning to teach other subjects at the postgraduate level after completion of a new block at a cost of Rs3.8 million.

However, academic activities here are far from satisfactory now due to students' active participation in petty politics and alleged interference of influential politicians in all matters.

According to reports, two students had exchanged fire recently inside the campus over a minor dispute after which they were injured and admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital. Even then the college administration did not take any action against the students, who were learnt to have been enjoying blessings of the local political bigwigs.

It is learnt that most of the college staffers have developed their various groups. Besides, some of them have also set up private academies and institution where they spend most of the time, a group of students told this correspondent, also alleging that the teachers force them to get admissions to private academies.

Some students claimed that teachers issued important books and did not return those in time. They also alleged that the librarian remained absent most of the time and he had not maintained any catalogue.

The college hostel presents a picture of neglect because of overcrowding and other ills. About two years ago, the hostel administration had increased security fee from Rs800 to Rs4,000, though not less than 90 students had occupied 20 rooms. As a result, most of the boarders left it.

Some 18 students are at present residing at the hostel, whose rooms and doors and windows are broken off. Much of the hostel area stinks due to heaps of garbage lying around it. Drug addicts, pickpockets and stray animals are free to move here.

The institute's sports complex comprising squash and badminton courts and facilities for table tennis, cricket, hockey and football has become a neglected area.

When contacted, college principal Shaukat Hayat Hinjra denied political interference in the college affairs, and insisted that the administration was trying its best to maintain discipline. Meanwhile, students have demanded the education authorities to take stock of the institute's plight and restore its image.